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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $587 in Catacamas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $962 in Catacamas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,336 in Catacamas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Catacamas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Catacamas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Catacamas 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$5.88 HNL 157

-66.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$37.01 HNL 989

-50.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.82 HNL 209

-4.35%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.31 HNL 61.6

-12.55%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.94 HNL 25.16

-9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.12 HNL 30.05

-67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.18 HNL 31.58

81.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.63 HNL 70.3

36.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.46 HNL 39.10

13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.09 HNL 56.0

-24.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.22 HNL 32.70

-2.46%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.11 HNL 56.4

-8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.03 HNL 161

168.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.87 HNL 103

-22.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.98 HNL 213

37.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.89 HNL 77.2

-6.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.51 HNL 40.47

-22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.46 HNL 38.95

15.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.52 HNL 40.69

5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.58 HNL 42.35

-12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.41 HNL 37.63

-14.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.83 HNL 22.29

-19.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.72 HNL 45.93

-67.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.44 HNL 65.2

90.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.28 HNL 34.27

45.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.86 HNL 49.70

77.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$4.31 HNL 115

-68.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.02 HNL 27.28

19.61%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$18.9K HNL 505.4K

12.95%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$19.3K HNL 516.7K

16.57%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$82.1 HNL 2,196

-13.96%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.80 HNL 235

59.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$41.71 HNL 1,115

-58.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.89 HNL 157

0.51%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$246 HNL 6,573

25.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$46.39 HNL 1,240

20.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$35.63 HNL 953

-26.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$107 HNL 2,867

-22.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$103 HNL 2,743

-31.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Catacamas: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $37.00 in Catacamas. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $189 in Catacamas – so Catacamas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Catacamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $880 in Catacamas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $37.00 in Catacamas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $587 in Catacamas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Catacamas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Catacamas. 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.