Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Cayo Coco versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,675 in Cayo Coco versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,124 in Cayo Coco versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cayo Coco is roughly 29% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cayo Coco 11% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 CUP 117

$2.10 ฿68.8

131.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.97 CUP 359

$19.84 ฿651

-24.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 CUP 164

$5.79 ฿190

18.31%

Cappuccino

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$1.83 ฿60.0

-44.26%

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

$2.02 CUP 48.57

$0.78 ฿25.43

158.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.62

$0.31 ฿10.30

216.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 CUP 47.01

$2.34 ฿76.7

-16.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 CUP 70.7

$3.70 ฿121

-20.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.91 CUP 69.9

$2.03 ฿66.6

43.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 CUP 24.42

$1.60 ฿52.4

-36.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 CUP 49.09

$1.42 ฿46.43

44.37%

Eggs

$3.69 CUP 88.6

$2.18 ฿71.4

69.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.83 CUP 140

$15.91 ฿522

-63.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 CUP 123

$3.07 ฿101

67.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.15 CUP 243

$9.87 ฿324

2.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 CUP 118

$2.63 ฿86.2

86.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 CUP 24.72

$1.10 ฿35.94

-6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 CUP 24.61

$1.63 ฿53.5

-36.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.63

$1.53 ฿50.2

-35.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.61

$1.24 ฿40.84

-20.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 CUP 72.8

$1.13 ฿37.11

168.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CUP 23.59

$0.74 ฿24.21

32.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.57

$0.50 ฿16.37

96.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 CUP 73.8

$4.28 ฿140

-28.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 CUP 236

$17.97 ฿590

-45.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CUP 48.83

$1.70 ฿55.7

19.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 CUP 47.09

$2.90 ฿95.0

-32.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.29 CUP 487

$55.3 ฿1,814

-63.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$1.23 ฿40.48

-17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CUP 24.27

$0.53 ฿17.53

90.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.34 CUP 488

$2.40 ฿78.8

747.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 CUP 23.46

$1.44 ฿47.22

-31.94%

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

$69.4K CUP 1.7M

$21.2K ฿695.3K

227.24%

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

$78.7K CUP 1.9M

$27.3K ฿895.9K

188.10%

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

$40.14 CUP 963

$64.9 ฿2,130

-38.18%

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

$39.72 CUP 953

$13.35 ฿438

197.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 CUP 5,268

$20.83 ฿684

953.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.25 CUP 942

$40.42 ฿1,326

-2.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 CUP 245

$3.95 ฿130

157.97%

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.66

$6.71 ฿220

-84.65%

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

$91.3 CUP 2,192

$787 ฿25.8K

-88.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CUP 356.9K

$15.1K ฿496.2K

-1.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.44 CUP 970

$56.2 ฿1,845

-28.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.62 CUP 711

$24.95 ฿819

18.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 CUP 1,765

$92.7 ฿3,042

-20.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 CUP 1,925

$75.1 ฿2,465

6.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 CUP 9,762

$484 ฿15.9K

-15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 CUP 10.1K

$287 ฿9,425

46.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 CUP 25.2K

$910 ฿29.8K

15.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 CUP 14.7K

$531 ฿17.4K

15.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$304 CUP 7,297

$1,980 ฿65.0K

-84.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$345 CUP 8,286

$1,451 ฿47.6K

-76.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.09 CUP 482

$605 ฿19.9K

-96.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

79.53%

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

Last update for Cayo Coco: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Cayo Coco and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 2938% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Cayo Coco vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $240 per month, with Cayo Coco cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cayo Coco vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Cayo Coco. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2938% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $407 in Cayo Coco 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 172% less than in Cayo Coco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $91.3 in Cayo Coco versus $778 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,226 in Cayo Coco, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cayo Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $947 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cayo Coco 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 29% less than in Cayo Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.