Cost of Living Comparison Between Castello de la Plana and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Castello de la Plana and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,483 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,203 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,922 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Castello de la Plana costs about 71% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Castello de la Plana sits 11% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.92 €12.84

$1.94 ฿63.5

669.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 €48.84

$18.64 ฿609

204.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 €6.85

$7.82 ฿255

1.79%

Cappuccino

$2.50 €2.15

$1.95 ฿63.8

28.21%

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

$2.37 €2.04

$0.85 ฿27.77

178.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.35 ฿11.58

394.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.13 ฿69.6

37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.73 ฿122

-9.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.71 ฿56.0

-33.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.63 ฿53.2

31.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.14 ฿37.15

73.68%

Eggs

$3.09 €2.65

$1.93 ฿63.1

60.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 €12.85

$16.21 ฿530

-7.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 €7.23

$3.12 ฿102

169.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 €13.64

$10.90 ฿356

45.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$2.75 ฿90.0

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.21 ฿39.52

42.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.62 ฿53.0

4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 €2.15

$1.59 ฿51.8

57.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.40 ฿45.70

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.17 ฿38.17

52.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 €1.25

$0.66 ฿21.60

121.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.56

$0.53 ฿17.22

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 €6.05

$4.69 ฿153

49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 €4.57

$18.66 ฿609

-71.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.80 ฿58.8

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.07

$3.23 ฿106

-25.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 €1.22

$0.90 ฿29.26

56.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.38 €14.95

$19.21 ฿628

-9.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 €3.79

$1.41 ฿45.91

212.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.29 ฿42.12

-20.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.31 €13.17

$7.84 ฿256

95.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.27 ฿41.58

42.52%

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

$38.1K €32.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

78.97%

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

$32.3K €27.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

45.49%

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

$137 €118

$69.1 ฿2,256

98.71%

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

$19.84 €17.07

$14.08 ฿460

40.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.23 €24.29

$18.00 ฿588

56.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.23 €39.77

$41.06 ฿1,341

12.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.08 €12.97

$6.96 ฿227

116.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.31 €7.15

$5.92 ฿193

40.37%

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

$581 €500

$299 ฿9,766

94.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,198 €7,052

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-45.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 €55.5

$54.7 ฿1,787

17.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.92 €18.86

$26.77 ฿874

-18.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.8

$85.0 ฿2,776

24.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$70.6 ฿2,306

69.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 €619

$428 ฿14.0K

68.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 €531

$237 ฿7,752

159.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 €862

$801 ฿26.2K

25.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$777 €668

$515 ฿16.8K

50.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 €1,631

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-3.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,439 €1,238

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-2.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,857 €1,597

$617 ฿20.2K

200.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

-36.00%

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

Last update for Castello de la Plana: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Castello de la Plana versus $428 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.

Salaries run about 201% higher in Castello de la Plana, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Castello de la Plana versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $246 – 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

Castello de la Plana vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,483 in Castello de la Plana, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 71% apart. Castello de la Plana costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Castello de la Plana and $1,300 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 11% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $581 per month in Castello de la Plana and $299 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 $866, than in Castello de la Plana at $1,483. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castello de la Plana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $1,483 in Castello de la Plana. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Castello de la Plana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.