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: $1,512 in Cartago versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,121 in Cartago versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Cartago versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cartago is roughly 74% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartago is 13% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 ₡3,615

$1.94 ฿63.5

309.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 ₡14.3K

$18.64 ฿609

68.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 ₡4,172

$7.82 ฿255

17.26%

Cappuccino

$3.82 ₡1,738

$1.95 ฿63.8

95.90%

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

$1.93 ₡880

$0.85 ฿27.77

127.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₡558

$0.35 ฿11.58

251.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 ₡913

$2.13 ฿69.6

-5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₡2,159

$3.73 ฿122

27.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ₡894

$1.71 ฿56.0

14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 ₡996

$1.63 ฿53.2

34.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡976

$1.14 ฿37.15

88.60%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,325

$1.93 ฿63.1

50.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 ₡3,566

$16.21 ฿530

-51.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.30 ₡4,228

$3.12 ฿102

198.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 ₡6,199

$10.90 ฿356

25.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₡2,014

$2.75 ฿90.0

61.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ₡534

$1.21 ฿39.52

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 ₡1,832

$1.62 ฿53.0

148.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 ₡1,201

$1.59 ฿51.8

66.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 ₡890

$1.40 ฿45.70

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ₡899

$1.17 ฿38.17

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₡471

$0.66 ฿21.60

57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₡884

$0.53 ฿17.22

266.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 ₡2,326

$4.69 ฿153

8.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 ₡6,960

$18.66 ฿609

-18.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₡1,112

$1.80 ฿58.8

36.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₡820

$3.23 ฿106

-44.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡461

$0.90 ฿29.26

12.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 ₡31.4K

$19.21 ฿628

259.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₡622

$1.41 ฿45.91

-2.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 ₡848

$1.29 ฿42.12

44.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 ₡3,599

$7.84 ฿256

0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡643

$1.27 ฿41.58

11.02%

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

$37.4K ₡17.0M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

75.89%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

45.58%

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

$49.02 ₡22.3K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-29.03%

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

$25.60 ₡11.6K

$14.08 ฿460

81.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ₡26.3K

$18.00 ฿588

221.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₡26.0K

$41.06 ฿1,341

39.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.06 ₡10.9K

$6.96 ฿227

245.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ₡2,944

$5.92 ฿193

9.29%

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

$491 ₡223.1K

$299 ฿9,766

64.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,189 ₡3.3M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-51.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ₡28.0K

$54.7 ฿1,787

12.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 ₡23.5K

$26.77 ฿874

93.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ₡49.4K

$85.0 ฿2,776

27.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 ₡36.6K

$70.6 ฿2,306

13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡345.6K

$428 ฿14.0K

77.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ₡273.6K

$237 ฿7,752

153.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₡333.9K

$801 ฿26.2K

-8.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡350.1K

$515 ฿16.8K

49.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,312 ₡596.8K

$617 ฿20.2K

112.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100.00%

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

Last update for Cartago: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $760 in Cartago and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 113% 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: $31.00 in Cartago vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $246 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cartago pays 113% more on average, 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: $760 in Cartago versus $428 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 259% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $491 in Cartago versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,512 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 74% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.