Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Antiguo Cuscatlan Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Antiguo Cuscatlan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $754 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,213 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,672 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Antiguo Cuscatlan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Antiguo Cuscatlan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Antiguo Cuscatlan 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$8.14 $8.14

-75.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$35.27 $35.27

-47.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.05 $7.05

6.10%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.34 $3.34

-39.52%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.10 $1.10

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.85 $0.85

-57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.95 $1.95

9.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.95 $2.95

21.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.86 $1.86

-11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.05 $2.05

-23.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.49 $1.49

-20.13%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.80 $2.80

-30.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.24 $7.24

123.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.80 $6.80

-56.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.76 $10.76

1.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.15 $3.15

-13.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.65 $1.65

-29.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.58 $2.58

-34.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.64 $2.64

-39.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.22 $2.22

-37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.19 $2.19

-45.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.96 $0.96

-30.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.06 $1.06

-47.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.91 $3.91

18.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.22 $12.22

44.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.70 $1.70

9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.39 $2.39

38.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$5.61 $5.61

-75.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$3.03 $3.03

-55.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$19.95 $19.95

-58.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.05 $1.05

16.19%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$25.8K $25.8K

-17.18%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$28.0K $28.0K

-19.49%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$104 $104

-31.81%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$19.39 $19.39

-27.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$41.44 $41.44

-57.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.23 $5.23

13.19%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$148 $148

109.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$6,033 $6,033

146.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$67.0 $67.0

-16.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$43.01 $43.01

-39.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$116 $116

-28.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$103 $103

-31.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$605 $605

-28.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

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)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

-41.72%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Antiguo Cuscatlan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $605 in Antiguo Cuscatlan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $259 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Antiguo Cuscatlan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai, $754 in Antiguo Cuscatlan – roughly 14% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,130 in Antiguo Cuscatlan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Antiguo Cuscatlan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Antiguo Cuscatlan, where all-in costs run around $754, than in Chiang Mai at $861. In Antiguo Cuscatlan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $754 in Antiguo Cuscatlan to $861 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Antiguo Cuscatlan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.