Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,674 in Cartago versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,346 in Cartago versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,018 in Cartago versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cartago is roughly 80% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartago is 22% above, Chiang Mai is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 ₡3,983

$2.08 ฿69.5

330.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.29 ₡15.7K

$19.61 ฿655

79.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 ₡4,474

$5.67 ฿189

77.60%

Cappuccino

$4.52 ₡2,008

$1.81 ฿60.3

149.72%

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

$2.23 ₡993

$0.77 ฿25.65

189.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₡640

$0.35 ฿11.53

311.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 ₡970

$2.21 ฿73.9

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ₡1,884

$3.79 ฿127

11.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 ₡1,090

$2.05 ฿68.4

19.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 ₡1,059

$1.51 ฿50.6

57.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,122

$1.40 ฿46.69

80.71%

Eggs

$3.52 ₡1,566

$2.26 ฿75.4

55.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 ₡3,926

$16.19 ฿540

-45.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 ₡4,611

$2.90 ฿96.7

257.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,185

$9.42 ฿314

47.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,257

$2.68 ฿89.4

89.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ₡576

$1.09 ฿36.37

19.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,018

$1.62 ฿54.0

180.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 ₡1,370

$1.46 ฿48.74

110.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 ₡1,016

$1.28 ฿42.65

78.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 ₡995

$1.06 ฿35.31

111.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡489

$0.72 ฿23.94

52.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₡1,002

$0.53 ฿17.56

324.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 ₡2,643

$4.23 ฿141

40.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 ₡6,888

$18.29 ฿611

-15.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,244

$1.63 ฿54.4

71.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₡878

$2.90 ฿96.8

-32.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 ₡574

$0.88 ฿29.32

46.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 ₡34.0K

$53.8 ฿1,795

42.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ₡597

$1.17 ฿39.14

14.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 ₡701

$0.58 ฿19.30

172.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 ₡4,005

$2.39 ฿79.6

276.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡668

$1.45 ฿48.41

3.45%

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

$21.9K ₡9.7M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

4.06%

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

$34.9K ₡15.5M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

31.94%

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

$54.2 ₡24.1K

$63.7 ฿2,125

-14.82%

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

$36.97 ₡16.4K

$12.89 ฿430

186.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 ₡27.7K

$20.52 ฿685

203.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 ₡32.9K

$39.02 ฿1,302

89.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$77.4 ₡34.4K

$3.92 ฿131

1873.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ₡3,146

$6.58 ฿220

7.60%

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

$559 ₡248.6K

$784 ฿26.2K

-28.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,916 ₡3.5M

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-46.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 ₡32.5K

$55.1 ฿1,840

32.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡24.8K

$24.74 ฿826

125.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡55.1K

$94.1 ฿3,142

31.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 ₡39.7K

$74.0 ฿2,469

20.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 ₡388.3K

$490 ฿16.4K

78.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 ₡319.1K

$288 ฿9,620

149.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 ₡832.7K

$891 ฿29.8K

110.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₡325.8K

$521 ฿17.4K

40.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,335 ₡593.3K

$602 ฿20.1K

121.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

5.57

57.63%

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

Last update for Cartago: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $874 in Cartago and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Cartago vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $241 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

Cartago vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 122% higher in Cartago, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $874 in Cartago versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 42% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $559 in Cartago versus $784 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,674 in Cartago, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cartago. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cartago and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.