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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,512 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $2,121 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,730 in Cartago.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 43% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Cartago is 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.95 ₡3,615

-75.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$31.47 ₡14.3K

-40.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.17 ₡4,172

-14.72%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.82 ₡1,738

-48.95%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.93 ₡880

-55.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.23 ₡558

-71.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.01 ₡913

5.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.75 ₡2,159

-21.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.96 ₡894

-12.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.19 ₡996

-25.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.15 ₡976

-46.98%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.91 ₡1,325

-33.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.84 ₡3,566

106.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$9.30 ₡4,228

-66.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.63 ₡6,199

-20.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$4.43 ₡2,014

-37.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.17 ₡534

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$4.03 ₡1,832

-59.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.64 ₡1,201

-39.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.96 ₡890

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.98 ₡899

-40.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.04 ₡471

-36.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.94 ₡884

-72.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.11 ₡2,326

-8.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$15.30 ₡6,960

21.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.45 ₡1,112

-26.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.80 ₡820

79.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.01 ₡461

-10.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$69.0 ₡31.4K

-72.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.37 ₡622

2.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.86 ₡848

-30.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.91 ₡3,599

-0.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.41 ₡643

-9.93%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$37.4K ₡17.0M

-43.15%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$32.3K ₡14.7M

-31.31%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$49.02 ₡22.3K

40.90%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$25.60 ₡11.6K

-45.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$57.9 ₡26.3K

-68.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$57.3 ₡26.0K

-28.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$24.06 ₡10.9K

-71.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.47 ₡2,944

-8.50%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$491 ₡223.1K

-39.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,189 ₡3.3M

107.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$61.5 ₡28.0K

-11.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$51.7 ₡23.5K

-48.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$109 ₡49.4K

-21.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$80.4 ₡36.6K

-12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$760 ₡345.6K

-43.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$602 ₡273.6K

-60.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$734 ₡333.9K

9.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$770 ₡350.1K

-33.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,312 ₡596.8K

-52.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-50.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cartago: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $760 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 113% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $31.00 in Cartago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $315 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cartago earns 113% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $760 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 259% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $491 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,512 in Cartago, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cartago. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Cartago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.