Cost of Living Comparison Between Caye Caulker and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Caye Caulker and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,878 per month in Caye Caulker vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,698 per month in Caye Caulker vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,518 per month in Caye Caulker vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Caye Caulker costs about 118% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Caye Caulker sits 41% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 BZD 17.33

$1.96 ฿65.7

342.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 BZD 65.7

$18.35 ฿616

78.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 BZD 15.11

$7.48 ฿251

1.07%

Cappuccino

$3.94 BZD 7.89

$2.02 ฿67.7

95.05%

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

$1.53 BZD 3.07

$0.85 ฿28.45

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 BZD 3.54

$0.36 ฿11.94

391.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BZD 6.02

$2.14 ฿71.7

40.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 BZD 8.86

$3.59 ฿121

23.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.97 BZD 5.94

$1.65 ฿55.4

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 BZD 3.70

$1.57 ฿52.6

17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 BZD 8.89

$1.19 ฿39.95

273.95%

Eggs

$4.19 BZD 8.38

$1.94 ฿65.0

115.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 BZD 22.30

$16.19 ฿544

-31.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 BZD 15.63

$2.99 ฿100

161.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 BZD 26.36

$10.94 ฿367

20.48%

Apples (1kg)

$8.09 BZD 16.19

$2.71 ฿91.0

198.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 BZD 2.26

$1.17 ฿39.18

-3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 BZD 2.68

$1.69 ฿56.6

-20.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 BZD 5.75

$1.60 ฿53.9

79.38%

Potato (1kg)

$5.45 BZD 10.90

$1.38 ฿46.45

294.93%

Onion (1kg)

$4.54 BZD 9.08

$1.20 ฿40.38

278.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 BZD 6.42

$0.67 ฿22.46

379.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 BZD 3.42

$0.56 ฿18.70

205.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 BZD 8.92

$4.64 ฿156

-3.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.62 BZD 45.25

$17.62 ฿591

28.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 BZD 4.56

$1.86 ฿62.4

22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 BZD 4.89

$3.30 ฿111

-26.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.95 BZD 9.91

$0.88 ฿29.63

462.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.86 BZD 45.72

$19.34 ฿649

18.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 BZD 7.07

$1.36 ฿45.82

159.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 BZD 6.09

$1.34 ฿44.90

127.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 BZD 9.76

$8.21 ฿276

-40.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.05 BZD 6.11

$1.22 ฿41.11

150.00%

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

$10.7K BZD 21.4K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-49.82%

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

$21.4K BZD 42.9K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-4.83%

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

$197 BZD 394

$70.7 ฿2,372

178.68%

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

$35.15 BZD 70.3

$14.04 ฿471

150.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 BZD 150

$17.49 ฿587

328.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.59 BZD 71.2

$42.15 ฿1,415

-15.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.13 BZD 28.27

$6.88 ฿231

105.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.91 BZD 23.83

$5.92 ฿199

101.18%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 BZD 150

$55.8 ฿1,872

34.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 BZD 119

$26.11 ฿877

128.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 BZD 299

$83.0 ฿2,787

79.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.51 BZD 99.0

$70.5 ฿2,365

-29.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 BZD 1,973

$432 ฿14.5K

128.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 BZD 1,502

$239 ฿8,020

214.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 BZD 1,517

$822 ฿27.6K

-7.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 BZD 2,500

$512 ฿17.2K

144.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,026 BZD 4,052

$579 ฿19.4K

249.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Caye Caulker: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Caye Caulker versus $432 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 250% higher in Caye Caulker, 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 $33.00 in Caye Caulker versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $243 – 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

Caye Caulker vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caye Caulker costs about 118% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,817 per month in Caye Caulker and $1,292 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,878 in Caye Caulker and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Caye Caulker and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Caye Caulker at $1,878. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caye Caulker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,878 in Caye Caulker. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Caye Caulker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.