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: $1,231 in Cayo Coco versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,675 in Cayo Coco versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,119 in Cayo Coco versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Cayo Coco 8% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.08 CUP 122

$1.94 ฿63.5

161.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.98 CUP 359

$18.64 ฿609

-19.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 CUP 170

$7.82 ฿255

-9.59%

Cappuccino

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$1.95 ฿63.8

-47.69%

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

$2.04 CUP 48.85

$0.85 ฿27.77

140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.49

$0.35 ฿11.58

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 CUP 49.02

$2.13 ฿69.6

-4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$3.73 ฿122

-20.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 CUP 74.1

$1.71 ฿56.0

80.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 CUP 23.42

$1.63 ฿53.2

-39.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 CUP 47.56

$1.14 ฿37.15

73.68%

Eggs

$3.63 CUP 87.2

$1.93 ฿63.1

88.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 CUP 143

$16.21 ฿530

-63.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 CUP 123

$3.12 ฿102

64.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 CUP 239

$10.90 ฿356

-8.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 CUP 118

$2.75 ฿90.0

78.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$1.21 ฿39.52

-19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$1.62 ฿53.0

-37.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$1.59 ฿51.8

-35.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.30

$1.40 ฿45.70

-30.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 CUP 69.9

$1.17 ฿38.17

148.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CUP 23.40

$0.66 ฿21.60

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 CUP 24.29

$0.53 ฿17.22

90.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 CUP 72.4

$4.69 ฿153

-35.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 CUP 238

$18.66 ฿609

-46.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 CUP 47.30

$1.80 ฿58.8

9.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CUP 47.62

$3.23 ฿106

-38.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.90 CUP 478

$19.21 ฿628

3.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.42

$1.41 ฿45.91

-27.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CUP 24.27

$1.29 ฿42.12

-21.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.96 CUP 479

$7.84 ฿256

154.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 CUP 23.76

$1.27 ฿41.58

-22.05%

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

$70.2K CUP 1.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

230.05%

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

$80.7K CUP 1.9M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

263.16%

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

$40.10 CUP 962

$69.1 ฿2,256

-41.94%

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

$39.74 CUP 954

$14.08 ฿460

182.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 CUP 5,245

$18.00 ฿588

1114.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 CUP 968

$41.06 ฿1,341

-1.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 CUP 243

$6.96 ฿227

45.69%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$5.92 ฿193

-82.77%

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

$89.5 CUP 2,147

$299 ฿9,766

-70.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K CUP 353.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-1.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.86 CUP 957

$54.7 ฿1,787

-27.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 CUP 710

$26.77 ฿874

10.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 CUP 1,825

$85.0 ฿2,776

-10.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 CUP 1,923

$70.6 ฿2,306

13.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 CUP 9,623

$428 ฿14.0K

-6.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 CUP 10.1K

$237 ฿7,752

76.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 CUP 25.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

30.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 CUP 15.1K

$515 ฿16.8K

22.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$305 CUP 7,331

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-84.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$350 CUP 8,403

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-76.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.05 CUP 481

$617 ฿20.2K

-96.75%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $401 in Cayo Coco and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 2980% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $246 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, Chiang Mai earns 2980% less. 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: $401 in Cayo Coco 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 4% less than in Cayo Coco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $89.5 in Cayo Coco 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 $1,231 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 $866 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.