Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Aguada

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,181 in Aguada, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Aguada outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Aguada

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

$1,181

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Aguada

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Aguada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $1,181 in Aguada.

Chiang Mai $936
Aguada $1,181

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $1,227 in Aguada.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Aguada $1,227

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $1,274 in Aguada.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Aguada $1,274

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 21% less than in Aguada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Aguada 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$11.12 $11.12

-79.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$12.20 $12.20

-54.51%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.04 $2.04

-18.14%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$2.04 $2.04

-68.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$1.03 $1.03

-69.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.47 $1.47

60.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.97 $2.97

23.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.78 $1.78

9.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$2.52 $2.52

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$4.43 $4.43

-48.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$0.84 $0.84

72.62%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

$260 $260

-76.09%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$60.0 $60.0

-79.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$54.0 $54.0

-30.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$6.12 $6.12

6.05%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$500 $500

47.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

$35.43 $35.43

50.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$40.32 $40.32

-38.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

$80.0 $80.0

14.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

$100 $100

-28.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$506 $506

-4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$443 $443

-30.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$2,191 $2,191

-73.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aguada: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Aguada

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Aguada

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Aguada

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Aguada

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Aguada

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Aguada

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Aguada

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Chiang Mai and $506 in Aguada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguada pays about 3.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇷 Aguada

🕒 Local time

21:32 9:32 PM

10:32 10:32 AM

11 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

41,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Aguada 15,620 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Aguada

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,181 in Aguada, so Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 73% 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: $482 in Chiang Mai versus $506 in Aguada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $736 in Chiang Mai versus $500 in Aguada. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,181 in Aguada – Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Aguada are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Chiang Mai wins on affordability, Aguada on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.