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: $1,221 in Cayo Coco versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,683 in Cayo Coco versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,145 in Cayo Coco versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cayo Coco is roughly 42% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cayo Coco 9% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.11 CUP 123

$1.96 ฿65.7

160.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.03 CUP 361

$18.35 ฿616

-18.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 CUP 164

$7.48 ฿251

-8.56%

Cappuccino

$0.98 CUP 23.55

$2.02 ฿67.7

-51.49%

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

$2.06 CUP 49.33

$0.85 ฿28.45

142.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.70

$0.36 ฿11.94

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 CUP 47.53

$2.14 ฿71.7

-7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$3.59 ฿121

-16.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 CUP 72.9

$1.65 ฿55.4

84.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 CUP 23.40

$1.57 ฿52.6

-38.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.68

$1.19 ฿39.95

70.59%

Eggs

$3.66 CUP 87.8

$1.94 ฿65.0

88.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 CUP 147

$16.19 ฿544

-62.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 CUP 123

$2.99 ฿100

71.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 CUP 241

$10.94 ฿367

-8.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 CUP 123

$2.71 ฿91.0

88.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.57

$1.17 ฿39.18

-12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.62

$1.69 ฿56.6

-42.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.54

$1.60 ฿53.9

-38.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.42

$1.38 ฿46.45

-28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 CUP 72.9

$1.20 ฿40.38

153.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 CUP 24.35

$0.67 ฿22.46

50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$0.56 ฿18.70

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 CUP 70.4

$4.64 ฿156

-36.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 CUP 237

$17.62 ฿591

-43.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CUP 47.70

$1.86 ฿62.4

6.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 CUP 48.34

$3.30 ฿111

-39.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.26 CUP 486

$19.34 ฿649

4.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.45

$1.36 ฿45.82

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 CUP 23.43

$1.34 ฿44.90

-26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.31 CUP 488

$8.21 ฿276

147.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 CUP 24.49

$1.22 ฿41.11

-16.39%

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

$71.4K CUP 1.7M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

234.28%

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

$79.2K CUP 1.9M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

251.67%

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

$39.22 CUP 941

$70.7 ฿2,372

-44.50%

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

$40.69 CUP 977

$14.04 ฿471

189.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$217 CUP 5,199

$17.49 ฿587

1138.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 CUP 963

$42.15 ฿1,415

-4.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 CUP 243

$6.88 ฿231

47.38%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$5.92 ฿199

-82.77%

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

$89.4 CUP 2,146

$309 ฿10.4K

-71.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K CUP 365.3K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.46 CUP 971

$55.8 ฿1,872

-27.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.31 CUP 728

$26.11 ฿877

16.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 CUP 1,813

$83.0 ฿2,787

-8.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 CUP 1,883

$70.5 ฿2,365

11.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 CUP 9,419

$432 ฿14.5K

-9.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 CUP 10.2K

$239 ฿8,020

77.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 CUP 24.8K

$822 ฿27.6K

25.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 CUP 14.9K

$512 ฿17.2K

21.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$298 CUP 7,162

$1,915 ฿64.3K

-84.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 CUP 8,511

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-75.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.91 CUP 478

$579 ฿19.4K

-96.56%

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 Cayo Coco: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Cayo Coco and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 2810% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $243 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 42% 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 2810% 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: $392 in Cayo Coco versus $432 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 5% less than in Cayo Coco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $89.4 in Cayo Coco versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,221 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 $861 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 42% less than in Cayo Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.