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: $1,273 in Chaguanas versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,058 in Chaguanas versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,843 in Chaguanas versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Chaguanas is roughly 48% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chaguanas 5% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 TTD 49.12

$1.96 ฿65.9

271.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.1 TTD 607

$18.35 ฿617

390.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 TTD 51.3

$7.48 ฿252

1.74%

Cappuccino

$3.02 TTD 20.37

$2.02 ฿67.8

49.50%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.05

$0.85 ฿28.52

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.53

$0.36 ฿11.97

127.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.34

$2.14 ฿71.9

-14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 TTD 17.53

$3.59 ฿121

-27.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 TTD 17.18

$1.65 ฿55.5

54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 TTD 14.71

$1.57 ฿52.7

38.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 TTD 18.09

$1.19 ฿40.05

125.21%

Eggs

$4.18 TTD 28.20

$1.94 ฿65.1

115.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 TTD 52.5

$16.19 ฿545

-51.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 TTD 63.2

$2.99 ฿101

213.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 TTD 82.5

$10.94 ฿368

11.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 TTD 30.69

$2.71 ฿91.2

67.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 TTD 17.04

$1.17 ฿39.27

116.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.51 TTD 23.65

$1.69 ฿56.8

107.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 TTD 29.76

$1.60 ฿54.0

176.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.66

$1.38 ฿46.56

3.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.22

$1.20 ฿40.47

38.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 TTD 10.07

$0.67 ฿22.51

122.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 TTD 8.33

$0.56 ฿18.74

121.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 TTD 30.51

$4.64 ฿156

-2.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 TTD 131

$17.62 ฿593

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 TTD 14.83

$1.86 ฿62.6

18.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 TTD 18.19

$3.30 ฿111

-18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 TTD 8.33

$0.88 ฿29.70

40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.80

$1.36 ฿45.92

-25.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 TTD 7.29

$1.34 ฿45.00

-19.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.01 TTD 101

$8.21 ฿276

82.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 TTD 6.23

$1.22 ฿41.20

-24.59%

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

$33.3K TTD 224.2K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

55.81%

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

$36.5K TTD 245.7K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

61.82%

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

$81.3 TTD 548

$70.7 ฿2,378

14.97%

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

$47.00 TTD 317

$14.04 ฿472

234.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 TTD 351

$17.49 ฿589

197.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.04 TTD 297

$42.15 ฿1,418

4.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.05 TTD 203

$6.88 ฿231

336.77%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 TTD 61.2

$5.92 ฿199

53.38%

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

$315 TTD 2,126

$309 ฿10.4K

2.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,077 TTD 47.7K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-52.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 TTD 369

$55.8 ฿1,876

-1.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 TTD 264

$26.11 ฿879

50.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 TTD 910

$83.0 ฿2,793

62.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 TTD 802

$70.5 ฿2,371

69.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 TTD 2,929

$432 ฿14.5K

0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 TTD 2,584

$239 ฿8,040

60.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 TTD 4,168

$822 ฿27.7K

-24.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 TTD 3,591

$512 ฿17.2K

4.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 TTD 5,335

$579 ฿19.5K

36.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

7.60%

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

Last update for Chaguanas: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Chaguanas and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 37% 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: $90.0 in Chaguanas vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $243 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 48% 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 37% 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: $435 in Chaguanas versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Chaguanas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,273 per month in Chaguanas versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,273 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 $861 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 48% less than in Chaguanas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.