Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Antigua Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Antigua Guatemala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,239 in Antigua Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $2,103 in Antigua Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,967 in Antigua Guatemala.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 25% less than in Antigua Guatemala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Antigua Guatemala 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$6.82 Q 52.0

-69.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$52.6 Q 401

-62.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.72 Q 58.9

-26.55%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.30 Q 25.14

-45.15%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.16 Q 8.82

-33.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.89 Q 6.75

-60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$3.20 Q 24.38

-30.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$4.83 Q 36.78

-21.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.99 Q 15.17

3.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.84 Q 21.63

-46.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.98 Q 15.07

-29.29%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.42 Q 18.45

-6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$5.34 Q 40.69

203.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$9.18 Q 70.0

-68.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$10.53 Q 80.2

-10.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.80 Q 28.98

-29.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.72 Q 13.10

-36.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.87 Q 21.88

-43.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.58 Q 12.05

-7.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.56 Q 11.85

-17.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.72 Q 13.07

-38.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.68 Q 5.20

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.19 Q 9.08

-55.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.04 Q 30.82

4.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$7.94 Q 60.5

130.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.79 Q 13.64

-8.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.64 Q 20.14

9.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$2.55 Q 19.43

-65.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$4.71 Q 35.89

-75.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$10.44 Q 79.6

-77.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.18 Q 8.99

22.88%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$22.8K Q 173.9K

-7.89%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$21.5K Q 164.1K

22.76%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$58.6 Q 447

8.58%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$28.97 Q 221

-55.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$44.93 Q 342

-54.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$41.21 Q 314

-5.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$27.35 Q 208

-85.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$6.56 Q 49.98

0.30%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$340 Q 2,589

130.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$6,608 Q 50.4K

122.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$43.74 Q 333

25.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$47.86 Q 365

-48.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$92.5 Q 705

1.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$77.6 Q 591

-4.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$884 Q 6,736

-44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$529 Q 4,030

-45.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,933 Q 14.7K

-53.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,197 Q 9,125

-56.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$3,003 Q 22.9K

-34.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,203 Q 9,167

20.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$630 Q 4,798

-4.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.62

-52.07%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $884 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antigua Guatemala pays 5% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $263 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

Chiang Mai vs Antigua Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Antigua Guatemala differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $1,239 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Antigua Guatemala. 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $884 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $340 in Antigua Guatemala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,239 in Antigua Guatemala, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Antigua Guatemala 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 33% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.