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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,295 in Chaguanas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $2,037 in Chaguanas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,779 in Chaguanas.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 33% less than in Chaguanas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Chaguanas 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.54 TTD 50.6

-74.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$90.4 TTD 606

-79.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.33 TTD 49.08

6.68%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.11 TTD 20.87

-37.30%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.09 TTD 7.30

-22.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.81 TTD 5.45

-56.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.88 TTD 12.62

13.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.74 TTD 18.34

36.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.58 TTD 17.30

-33.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.29 TTD 15.37

-28.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.63 TTD 17.59

-56.65%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.00 TTD 26.82

-51.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.97 TTD 53.4

103.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$8.98 TTD 60.2

-65.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.60 TTD 84.4

-13.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$4.71 TTD 31.58

-41.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.53 TTD 16.96

-52.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.53 TTD 23.67

-54.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.45 TTD 29.78

-64.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.48 TTD 9.88

-5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.67 TTD 11.22

-29.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.50 TTD 10.03

-56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.27 TTD 8.53

-58.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.69 TTD 31.45

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$18.38 TTD 123

1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.19 TTD 14.69

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.82 TTD 18.90

14.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.24 TTD 8.28

-27.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.01 TTD 6.73

39.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.06 TTD 7.10

21.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$15.02 TTD 101

-47.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.96 TTD 6.46

32.29%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.7K TTD 219.3K

-34.99%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$36.3K TTD 243.2K

-38.82%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$81.2 TTD 544

-14.96%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$46.40 TTD 311

-69.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$51.6 TTD 346

-65.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$43.73 TTD 293

-6.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$29.13 TTD 195

-76.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$8.94 TTD 59.9

-33.78%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$321 TTD 2,148

-6.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,275 TTD 48.7K

105.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$55.8 TTD 374

-1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$38.61 TTD 259

-30.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$135 TTD 906

-37.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$117 TTD 781

-39.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$430 TTD 2,884

-0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$377 TTD 2,525

-37.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$629 TTD 4,214

27.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$539 TTD 3,608

-4.29%

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

$784 TTD 5,250

-21.21%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chaguanas: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $430 in Chaguanas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chaguanas pays 27% 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 $90.0 in Chaguanas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $339 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 49% 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, Chaguanas earns 27% 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 $430 in Chaguanas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Chaguanas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,295 in Chaguanas – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,295 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 $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 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 49% less than in Chaguanas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.