Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaguanas and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaguanas and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,318 in Chaguanas versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Chaguanas versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,847 in Chaguanas versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Chaguanas is roughly 39% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chaguanas 4% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.33 TTD 68.8

$2.08 ฿68.6

396.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 TTD 392

$19.64 ฿646

200.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 TTD 54.1

$5.65 ฿186

43.72%

Cappuccino

$3.23 TTD 21.46

$1.81 ฿59.4

78.45%

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

$1.32 TTD 8.76

$0.71 ฿23.45

85.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 TTD 6.56

$0.32 ฿10.38

209.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.20

$2.24 ฿73.6

-18.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 TTD 16.98

$3.63 ฿119

-29.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 TTD 16.64

$1.96 ฿64.4

27.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 TTD 15.03

$1.50 ฿49.39

50.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 TTD 14.61

$1.34 ฿43.93

63.43%

Eggs

$3.90 TTD 25.94

$2.26 ฿74.5

72.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 TTD 49.37

$16.26 ฿535

-54.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 TTD 53.0

$2.95 ฿97.1

169.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.79 TTD 78.5

$9.94 ฿327

18.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 TTD 19.61

$2.57 ฿84.6

14.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 TTD 20.39

$1.06 ฿34.73

188.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 TTD 20.31

$1.61 ฿53.0

89.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 TTD 35.06

$1.52 ฿49.97

246.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 TTD 16.49

$1.27 ฿41.77

95.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 TTD 14.42

$1.07 ฿35.06

102.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 TTD 12.85

$0.72 ฿23.68

168.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 TTD 8.81

$0.51 ฿16.72

158.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 TTD 19.97

$4.19 ฿138

-28.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.38 TTD 136

$17.87 ฿587

14.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 TTD 12.73

$1.69 ฿55.7

13.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 TTD 16.98

$2.84 ฿93.3

-10.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 TTD 4.76

$0.93 ฿30.43

-22.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 TTD 14.77

$1.23 ฿40.59

80.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 TTD 9.07

$0.58 ฿18.96

134.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.03 TTD 100.0

$2.42 ฿79.7

521.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 TTD 7.85

$1.41 ฿46.43

-16.31%

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

$34.1K TTD 226.7K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

58.85%

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

$34.0K TTD 226.2K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

24.37%

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

$102 TTD 680

$63.7 ฿2,093

60.61%

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

$39.11 TTD 260

$12.85 ฿423

204.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 TTD 349

$20.22 ฿665

159.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 TTD 351

$38.74 ฿1,274

36.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.39 TTD 295

$3.97 ฿130

1018.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 TTD 59.2

$6.74 ฿222

31.90%

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

$307 TTD 2,042

$778 ฿25.6K

-60.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.37 TTD 315

$54.3 ฿1,785

-12.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.59 TTD 283

$25.45 ฿837

67.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 TTD 687

$94.3 ฿3,102

9.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 TTD 739

$73.4 ฿2,415

51.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 TTD 3,112

$490 ฿16.1K

-4.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 TTD 2,503

$289 ฿9,512

30.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 TTD 6,445

$894 ฿29.4K

8.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 TTD 5,105

$517 ฿17.0K

48.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 TTD 5,272

$602 ฿19.8K

31.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-10.23%

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

Last update for Chaguanas: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Chaguanas and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in Chaguanas vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $240 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

Chaguanas vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Chaguanas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Chaguanas, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $468 in Chaguanas versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Chaguanas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,318 per month in Chaguanas versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,318 in Chaguanas, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Chaguanas. 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, Chaguanas 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 39% less than in Chaguanas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.