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: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $1,205 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,691 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $2,177 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 21% less than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cayo Coco 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿68.8

$4.86 CUP 117

-56.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿651

$14.97 CUP 359

32.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿190

$6.85 CUP 164

-15.47%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.02 CUP 24.51

79.41%

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

$0.78 ฿25.43

$2.02 CUP 48.57

-61.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$0.98 CUP 23.62

-68.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿76.7

$1.96 CUP 47.01

19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿121

$2.94 CUP 70.7

25.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿66.6

$2.91 CUP 69.9

-30.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.4

$1.02 CUP 24.42

56.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.43

$2.05 CUP 49.09

-30.73%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.4

$3.69 CUP 88.6

-40.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿522

$5.83 CUP 140

172.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿101

$5.13 CUP 123

-40.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿324

$10.15 CUP 243

-2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.2

$4.90 CUP 118

-46.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿35.94

$1.03 CUP 24.72

6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.5

$1.03 CUP 24.61

58.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$0.98 CUP 23.63

56.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.84

$0.98 CUP 23.61

26.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.11

$3.03 CUP 72.8

-62.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.21

$0.98 CUP 23.59

-24.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.37

$0.98 CUP 23.57

-48.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿140

$3.08 CUP 73.8

38.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿590

$9.84 CUP 236

82.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.03 CUP 48.83

-16.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.0

$1.96 CUP 47.09

47.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,814

$20.29 CUP 487

172.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.48

$1.02 CUP 24.51

20.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.53

$1.01 CUP 24.27

-47.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿78.8

$20.34 CUP 488

-88.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.22

$0.98 CUP 23.46

46.94%

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

$21.2K ฿695.3K

$69.4K CUP 1.7M

-69.44%

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

$27.3K ฿895.9K

$78.7K CUP 1.9M

-65.29%

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

$64.9 ฿2,130

$40.14 CUP 963

61.76%

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

$13.35 ฿438

$39.72 CUP 953

-66.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿684

$219 CUP 5,268

-90.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,326

$39.25 CUP 942

2.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿130

$10.19 CUP 245

-61.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿220

$1.03 CUP 24.66

551.46%

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

$787 ฿25.8K

$91.3 CUP 2,192

761.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.2K

$14.9K CUP 356.9K

1.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,845

$40.44 CUP 970

39.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿819

$29.62 CUP 711

-15.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,042

$73.5 CUP 1,765

26.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,465

$80.2 CUP 1,925

-6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿15.9K

$407 CUP 9,762

18.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,425

$420 CUP 10.1K

-31.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿29.8K

$1,049 CUP 25.2K

-13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.4K

$614 CUP 14.7K

-13.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.0K

$304 CUP 7,297

551.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.6K

$345 CUP 8,286

320.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿19.9K

$20.09 CUP 482

2912.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $407 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 2913% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $15.00 in Cayo Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $234 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 27% 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.

Average pay runs 2913% higher in Chiang Mai, 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: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $407 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 172% less than in Cayo Coco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $91.3 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $1,205 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 $950 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 27% less than in Cayo Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.