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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,273 in Chaguanas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $2,058 in Chaguanas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,843 in Chaguanas.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 32% less than in Chaguanas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Chaguanas 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$7.29 TTD 49.01

-73.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$90.1 TTD 606

-79.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.61 TTD 51.2

-1.71%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.02 TTD 20.33

-33.11%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.05 TTD 7.04

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.82 TTD 5.52

-56.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.83 TTD 12.31

16.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.60 TTD 17.49

38.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.55 TTD 17.14

-35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.18 TTD 14.68

-27.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.68 TTD 18.05

-55.60%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.18 TTD 28.14

-53.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$7.79 TTD 52.4

107.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$9.38 TTD 63.1

-68.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$12.25 TTD 82.4

-10.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$4.55 TTD 30.63

-40.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.53 TTD 17.00

-53.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$3.51 TTD 23.60

-51.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$4.42 TTD 29.70

-63.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.43 TTD 9.64

-3.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.66 TTD 11.20

-27.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.49 TTD 10.05

-55.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.24 TTD 8.31

-54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.53 TTD 30.45

2.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$19.45 TTD 131

-9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.20 TTD 14.80

-15.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.70 TTD 18.15

22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.24 TTD 8.31

-29.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.01 TTD 6.78

34.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.08 TTD 7.27

24.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$15.01 TTD 101

-45.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.92 TTD 6.22

32.61%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.3K TTD 223.8K

-35.82%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$36.5K TTD 245.2K

-38.20%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$81.3 TTD 546

-13.02%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$47.00 TTD 316

-70.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$52.0 TTD 350

-66.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$44.04 TTD 296

-4.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$30.05 TTD 202

-77.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$9.08 TTD 61.1

-34.80%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$315 TTD 2,121

-2.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$7,077 TTD 47.6K

110.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$54.8 TTD 368

1.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$39.18 TTD 264

-33.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$135 TTD 908

-38.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$119 TTD 801

-40.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$435 TTD 2,923

-0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$383 TTD 2,579

-37.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$618 TTD 4,159

32.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$533 TTD 3,583

-3.89%

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

$792 TTD 5,324

-26.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

-7.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chaguanas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $435 in Chaguanas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 37% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $90.0 in Chaguanas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $340 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 Chaguanas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Chaguanas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Chaguanas. 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $435 in Chaguanas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Chaguanas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,273 in Chaguanas – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,273 in Chaguanas, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Chaguanas. 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 $861 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 Chaguanas 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 48% less than in Chaguanas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.