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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 38.8% cheaper than Arenal without rent, and 45.2% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 36.3% cheaper than Arenal without rent, and 44% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ฿65.3

$10.9 ₡5,456

-81.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 ฿608

$58.6 ₡29.3K

-67.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ฿248

$9.82 ₡4,918

-21.89%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ฿64.2

$3.8 ₡1,904

-47.89%

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

$0.82 ฿26.64

$1.98 ₡990

-58.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.58

$1.61 ₡805

-79.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ฿68.6

$3 ₡1,502

-29.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿121

$4.73 ₡2,367

-21.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$2.06 ₡1,033

-20.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿50.9

$2.85 ₡1,428

-44.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.62

$2.22 ₡1,112

-46.40%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿64.1

$2.93 ₡1,469

-32.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 ฿517

$9.74 ₡4,874

64.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿101

$9.08 ₡4,546

-65.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿361

$13.84 ₡6,931

-19.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿89.2

$4.4 ₡2,203

-37.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.5

$1.51 ₡756

-19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿55.4

$4.36 ₡2,183

-60.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.2

$3.55 ₡1,779

-56.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.21

$3.52 ₡1,765

-61.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.23

$3.21 ₡1,605

-62.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.2

$0.97 ₡484

-25.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.05

$2.85 ₡1,427

-81.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 ฿153

$5.38 ₡2,695

-12.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ฿595

$18.66 ₡9,343

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿57.9

$2.52 ₡1,259

-28.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿104

$2.95 ₡1,476

8.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.44

$1.04 ₡520

-9.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.9 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.08

$1.78 ₡891

-20.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.53

$1.84 ₡921

-26.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 ฿254

$8.11 ₡4,058

-3.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.4

$1.4 ₡700

-10.71%

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

$21.2K ฿684.9K

$37.7K ₡18.9M

-43.83%

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

$21.8K ฿706.8K

$33.1K ₡16.6M

-34.08%

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

$70.6 ฿2,285

$94.5 ₡47.3K

-25.26%

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

$13.72 ฿444

$25.71 ₡12.9K

-46.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 ฿568

$59.1 ₡29.6K

-70.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,347

$57.8 ₡28.9K

-27.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.9 ฿223

$23.97 ₡12K

-71.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.8 ฿188

$9.73 ₡4,873

-40.39%

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

$308 ฿9,963

$561 ₡280.7K

-45.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿475.8K

$12.7K ₡6.4M

15.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,793

$61.6 ₡30.8K

-10.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.4 ฿854

$52.4 ₡26.2K

-49.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ฿2,755

$126 ₡63.1K

-32.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,323

$108 ₡54K

-33.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ฿14K

$759 ₡380.1K

-42.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,610

$597 ₡299K

-60.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ฿26.6K

$1,533 ₡767.2K

-46.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$968 ₡484.4K

-48.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,180 ฿70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 ฿49.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ฿22.8K

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 Arenal: October 27, 2025

Similar cities

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

Bogota

🇨🇴 Colombia

Beijing (Pekin)

🇨🇳 China

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

Nairobi

🇰🇪 Kenya