Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cabo Rojo Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cabo Rojo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,314 in Cabo Rojo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,915 in Cabo Rojo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,516 in Cabo Rojo, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 35% cheaper than Cabo Rojo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Cabo Rojo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Cabo Rojo 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$10.05 $10.05

-80.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$79.5 $79.5

-76.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$9.05 $9.05

-12.49%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.66 $3.66

-47.81%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.78 $1.78

-52.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.43 $1.43

-75.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.46 $1.46

51.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.43 $3.43

10.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.47 $1.47

11.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.94 $1.94

-16.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.25 $2.25

-47.56%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.36 $2.36

-14.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.00 $9.00

76.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$8.65 $8.65

-65.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.87 $12.87

-16.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$5.96 $5.96

-56.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.66 $2.66

-54.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.98 $3.98

-57.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$4.11 $4.11

-61.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$3.96 $3.96

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.93 $2.93

-60.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$3.01 $3.01

-77.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.99 $0.99

-43.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$11.92 $11.92

-62.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$15.44 $15.44

17.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.39 $1.39

31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.04 $2.04

58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.46 $1.46

-7.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$14.98 $14.98

-44.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.79 $0.79

60.76%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$36.7K $36.7K

-42.29%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$26.2K $26.2K

-14.03%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$482 $482

-85.44%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$64.8 $64.8

-78.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$74.6 $74.6

-76.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$12.19 $12.19

-52.58%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$462 $462

-33.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$10.2K $10.2K

44.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$45.61 $45.61

19.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$56.8 $56.8

-54.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$91.8 $91.8

-7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$105 $105

-33.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,836 $1,836

-55.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$4,255 $4,255

-85.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

-12.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cabo Rojo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 570% higher in Cabo Rojo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $79.0 in Cabo Rojo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $327 – 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 Cabo Rojo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cabo Rojo costs about 54% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,971 in Cabo Rojo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,314 in Cabo Rojo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $462 in Cabo Rojo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,314 in Cabo Rojo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,314 in Cabo Rojo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cabo Rojo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.