Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cayo Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cayo Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,231 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,675 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,119 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 30% less than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Cayo Coco 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.08 CUP 122

-61.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$14.98 CUP 359

24.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.07 CUP 170

10.61%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.02 CUP 24.46

91.18%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.04 CUP 48.85

-58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.98 CUP 23.49

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.04 CUP 49.02

4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.98 CUP 71.6

25.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$3.09 CUP 74.1

-44.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.98 CUP 23.42

66.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.98 CUP 47.56

-42.42%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.63 CUP 87.2

-46.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.97 CUP 143

171.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.14 CUP 123

-39.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.97 CUP 239

9.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$4.90 CUP 118

-43.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.98 CUP 23.53

23.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.02 CUP 24.46

58.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.02 CUP 24.51

55.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.97 CUP 23.30

44.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.91 CUP 69.9

-59.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.98 CUP 23.40

-32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.01 CUP 24.29

-47.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.01 CUP 72.4

55.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$9.92 CUP 238

88.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.97 CUP 47.30

-8.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.98 CUP 47.62

63.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$19.90 CUP 478

-3.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.02 CUP 24.42

38.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.01 CUP 24.27

27.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.96 CUP 479

-60.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.99 CUP 23.76

28.28%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$70.2K CUP 1.7M

-69.70%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$80.7K CUP 1.9M

-72.46%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$40.10 CUP 962

72.24%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$39.74 CUP 954

-64.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$219 CUP 5,245

-91.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$40.32 CUP 968

1.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$10.14 CUP 243

-31.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$1.02 CUP 24.46

480.39%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$89.5 CUP 2,147

234.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$14.7K CUP 353.1K

1.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$39.86 CUP 957

37.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$29.57 CUP 710

-9.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$76.1 CUP 1,825

11.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$80.1 CUP 1,923

-11.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$401 CUP 9,623

6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$419 CUP 10.1K

-43.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,050 CUP 25.2K

-23.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$631 CUP 15.1K

-18.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$305 CUP 7,331

546.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$350 CUP 8,403

321.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$20.05 CUP 481

2979.55%

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 Cayo Coco: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $401 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 2980% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $15.00 in Cayo Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $235 per month, with Cayo Coco 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 Cayo Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Cayo Coco. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chiang Mai pays 2980% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $401 in Cayo Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 4% less than in Cayo Coco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $89.5 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,231 in Cayo Coco, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cayo Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Cayo Coco 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 42% less than in Cayo Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.