Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Atlantida

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,477 in Atlantida, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Atlantida, Uruguay
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Atlantida
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,477
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,477 in Atlantida, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Atlantida $1,477

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,294 in Atlantida, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Atlantida $2,294

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,111 in Atlantida, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Atlantida $3,111

Chiang Mai is about 37% cheaper than Atlantida, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Atlantida is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Atlantida
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.7
$13.00 UYU 523
-82.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿642
$44.38 UYU 1,785
-57.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿188
$12.62 UYU 507
-56.02%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.6
$3.16 UYU 127
-47.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.56
$1.91 UYU 76.6
-66.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.32
$1.13 UYU 45.43
-72.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$2.90 UYU 117
-18.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$3.58 UYU 144
2.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Atlantida
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$1.29 UYU 52.1
51.16%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.51
$2.68 UYU 108
-46.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.07
$1.44 UYU 58.0
-7.64%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$4.52 UYU 182
-49.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿556
$12.10 UYU 487
35.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$8.20 UYU 330
-66.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$10.81 UYU 435
-13.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.5
$2.70 UYU 109
-12.96%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.82
$2.19 UYU 88.1
-55.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$1.13 UYU 45.60
41.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$2.85 UYU 115
-47.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.15
$1.72 UYU 69.3
-25.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.22
$2.02 UYU 81.4
-45.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.84
$1.25 UYU 50.4
-43.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.38
$1.86 UYU 74.7
-73.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$5.12 UYU 206
-19.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿592
$6.72 UYU 270
160.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.89 UYU 76.2
-14.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$2.51 UYU 101
10.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Atlantida
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.33
$2.11 UYU 84.8
-58.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,827
$49.07 UYU 1,973
10.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.08
$2.50 UYU 101
-53.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.82
$3.45 UYU 139
-84.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$9.86 UYU 396
-75.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$1.96 UYU 78.8
-26.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿711.2K
$36.6K UYU 1.5M
-42.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.8K
$36.8K UYU 1.5M
-26.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Atlantida
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,100
$86.6 UYU 3,481
-28.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$23.96 UYU 964
-49.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿680
$32.26 UYU 1,297
-37.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Atlantida
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,260
$62.0 UYU 2,492
-39.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$17.15 UYU 690
-78.02%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$11.77 UYU 473
-44.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Atlantida
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.9K
$504 UYU 20.3K
46.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.6K
$6,644 UYU 267.2K
122.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Atlantida
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,802
$74.6 UYU 3,000
-28.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿832
$74.4 UYU 2,990
-66.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,089
$166 UYU 6,687
-44.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,429
$116 UYU 4,660
-37.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Atlantida
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$658 UYU 26.4K
-26.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$481 UYU 19.3K
-35.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿34.0K
$1,253 UYU 50.4K
-19.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$857 UYU 34.5K
-26.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$2,030 UYU 81.6K
16.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.7K
$1,523 UYU 61.3K
4.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Atlantida
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$514 UYU 20.7K
14.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
10
-44.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Atlantida: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Atlantida
$481 55.6% $172
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Atlantida
$283 20.9% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Atlantida
$194 78.6% $85
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Atlantida
$143 51.2% $48
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Atlantida
$214 175% $136
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Atlantida
$77 25.9% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Atlantida
$86 70.1% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $658 in Atlantida. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $44 in Atlantida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $283 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇺🇾 Atlantida
🕒 Local time
07:06 7:06 AM
21:06 9:06 PM
10 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
6,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 40.21 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 44.77 UYU (100 UYU = 2.23 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Atlantida 16,960 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Atlantida

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 Atlantida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiang Mai cheaper than Atlantida?
Yes – Atlantida is pricier by about 58%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,216 in Atlantida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $658 in Atlantida.
Is eating out cheaper in Chiang Mai or in Atlantida?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $44 in Atlantida. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Chiang Mai and in Atlantida?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,477 in Atlantida. That makes Chiang Mai about 37% cheaper.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Chiang Mai or in Atlantida?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,477 in Atlantida. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Chiang Mai or in Atlantida?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,477 in Atlantida. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or Atlantida?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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