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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 47.7% cheaper than Alajuela without rent, and 44.6% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 36.7% cheaper than Alajuela without rent, and 41.5% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ฿65.3

$9.9 ₡4,957

-79.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 ฿608

$39.44 ₡19.7K

-52.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ฿248

$9.22 ₡4,614

-16.81%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ฿64.2

$3.76 ₡1,881

-47.34%

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

$0.82 ฿26.64

$2 ₡1,003

-59.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.58

$1.29 ₡648

-74.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ฿68.6

$2.21 ₡1,105

-4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿121

$3.63 ₡1,818

2.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.87 ₡936

-12.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿50.9

$2.42 ₡1,210

-35.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.62

$2.24 ₡1,120

-46.88%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿64.1

$2.21 ₡1,108

-10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 ฿517

$9.87 ₡4,940

62.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿101

$9.15 ₡4,582

-65.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿361

$13.48 ₡6,749

-17.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿89.2

$4 ₡2,003

-31.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.5

$1.45 ₡727

-15.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿55.4

$4.14 ₡2,073

-58.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.2

$2.85 ₡1,426

-45.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.21

$2.81 ₡1,408

-52.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.23

$2.51 ₡1,258

-51.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.2

$1.01 ₡507

-28.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.05

$2.61 ₡1,309

-79.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 ฿153

$4.92 ₡2,461

-4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ฿595

$18.86 ₡9,443

-2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿57.9

$2.08 ₡1,042

-13.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿104

$2.54 ₡1,270

26.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.44

$0.81 ₡405

16.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.9 ฿612

$110 ₡55.3K

-82.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.08

$1.44 ₡721

-1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.53

$1.29 ₡648

4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 ฿254

$8.07 ₡4,038

-2.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.4

$1.39 ₡697

-10.07%

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

$21.2K ฿684.9K

$38.1K ₡19.1M

-44.50%

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

$21.8K ฿706.8K

$32.4K ₡16.2M

-32.53%

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

$70.6 ฿2,285

$45.25 ₡22.7K

56.04%

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

$13.72 ฿444

$19.72 ₡9,873

-30.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 ฿568

$32.46 ₡16.2K

-45.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,347

$64.6 ₡32.3K

-35.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.9 ฿223

$44.61 ₡22.3K

-84.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.8 ฿188

$8.88 ₡4,444

-34.68%

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

$308 ฿9,963

$297 ₡148.5K

3.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿475.8K

$2,329 ₡1.2M

531.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,793

$61.6 ₡30.8K

-9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.4 ฿854

$50.8 ₡25.4K

-47.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ฿2,755

$119 ₡59.7K

-28.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,323

$101 ₡50.7K

-29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ฿14K

$709 ₡355K

-38.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,610

$602 ₡301.3K

-60.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ฿26.6K

$1,004 ₡502.8K

-18.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$936 ₡468.5K

-46.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,180 ฿70.6K

$2,022 ₡1M

7.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 ฿49.9K

$1,481 ₡741.5K

4.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ฿22.8K

$1,217 ₡609K

-42.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

-50.84%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Alajuela: October 28, 2025

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