Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Arica

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $111 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
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Arica Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$111

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Arica actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $111 in Arica, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Arica $111

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $178 in Arica, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Arica $178

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $246 in Arica, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Arica $246

Chiang Mai costs about 747% more than Arica, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Arica are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Arica 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.8

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿644

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.9

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

$0.64 ฿21.65

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.24

$1.25 CLP 1,230

-73.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿131

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿69.0

$1.01 CLP 992

102.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.94

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿569

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿92.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.7

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿34.09

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿54.2

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿51.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.41

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿596

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.70 CLP 691

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,811

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.38

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.56

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

$20.5K ฿687.8K

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

$26.5K ฿890.6K

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

$62.3 ฿2,094

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

$12.27 ฿412

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿671

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿225

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

$797 ฿26.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,789

$40.20 CLP 39.6K

32.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿841

$20.59 CLP 20.3K

21.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,077

$53.9 CLP 53.1K

70.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,468

$91.7 CLP 90.3K

-19.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$504 CLP 496.1K

18.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Arica: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Arica

$10 * 9.1% 95.8% $228

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Arica

$93 83.9% 15.2% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Arica

$5 * 4.5% 93.7% $74

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Arica

$2.8 * 2.5% 95.4% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 18% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇱 Arica

🕒 Local time

16:35 4:35 PM

06:35 6:35 AM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

202,131

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.15 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 985 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,103 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Arica 18,890 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Arica

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 Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $938 in Chiang Mai, $111 in Arica – roughly 747% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $166 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Chiang Mai and $111 in Arica. That's a gap of about 747%.

Groceries cost about 2263% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $111, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Arica 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 $111 in Arica to $938 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 Arica. 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.