Cost of Living Comparison Between Caleta de Fuste and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Caleta de Fuste and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,668 per month in Caleta de Fuste vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,525 per month in Caleta de Fuste vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,381 per month in Caleta de Fuste vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Caleta de Fuste costs about 76% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Caleta de Fuste sits 21% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.20 €12.24

$2.10 ฿69.3

576.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.8 €66.2

$19.84 ฿656

287.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 €9.61

$5.79 ฿191

92.57%

Cappuccino

$2.66 €2.30

$1.83 ฿60.4

45.36%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 €1.90

$0.78 ฿25.61

182.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.31 ฿10.37

458.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 €2.75

$2.34 ฿77.2

36.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 €3.25

$3.70 ฿122

1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 €0.97

$2.03 ฿67.1

-44.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.60 ฿52.7

-5.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.43

$1.42 ฿46.75

16.20%

Eggs

$3.69 €3.18

$2.18 ฿71.9

69.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.52 €10.79

$15.91 ฿526

-21.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.41 €8.98

$3.07 ฿102

239.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 €16.13

$9.87 ฿326

89.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.33

$2.63 ฿86.8

2.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.10 ฿36.19

103.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$1.63 ฿53.8

42.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.53 ฿50.6

10.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.24 ฿41.13

52.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.13 ฿37.37

117.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 €1.77

$0.74 ฿24.38

178.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.50 ฿16.48

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 €3.96

$4.28 ฿141

7.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 €6.09

$17.97 ฿594

-60.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.70 ฿56.1

-17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.90 ฿95.7

-2.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.94 ฿31.13

85.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.85 €28.32

$55.3 ฿1,827

-40.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 €2.98

$1.23 ฿40.76

180.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 €1.98

$0.53 ฿17.66

333.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 €24.94

$2.40 ฿79.3

1105.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.44 ฿47.55

13.19%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.1K €31.1K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

70.30%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.4K €26.2K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

11.29%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$116 €100

$64.9 ฿2,145

79.36%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.52 €17.69

$13.35 ฿441

53.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.91 €24.92

$20.83 ฿688

38.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.18 €39.81

$40.42 ฿1,336

14.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.62 €12.60

$3.95 ฿131

270.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.25

$6.71 ฿222

42.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$502 €433

$787 ฿26.0K

-36.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,878 €5,929

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-54.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 €79.6

$56.2 ฿1,858

64.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.66 €34.19

$24.95 ฿824

58.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 €83.0

$92.7 ฿3,063

3.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €108

$75.1 ฿2,482

66.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 €686

$484 ฿16.0K

64.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 €611

$287 ฿9,491

146.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 €1,174

$910 ฿30.1K

49.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$979 €844

$531 ฿17.5K

84.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,505 €3,021

$1,980 ฿65.4K

77.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,296 €1,979

$1,451 ฿47.9K

58.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.15

5.57

-43.45%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Caleta de Fuste: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $796 in Caleta de Fuste versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Caleta de Fuste versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Caleta de Fuste vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Caleta de Fuste is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,502 per month in Caleta de Fuste and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $502 per month in Caleta de Fuste and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Caleta de Fuste at $1,668. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caleta de Fuste it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caleta de Fuste makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.