Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Chillan

For one person, living is cheaper in Chillan: $876 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $740 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Chillan
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Chillan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Chillan

🇨🇱 Chile

$876

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Chillan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Chillan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $876 in Chillan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Chillan $876

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,321 in Chillan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Chillan $1,321

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,766 in Chillan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Chillan $1,766

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Chillan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Chillan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Chillan 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$5.24 CLP 5,162

-56.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$46.84 CLP 46.1K

-59.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$5.85 CLP 5,761

-4.44%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$3.65 CLP 3,592

-52.88%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.92 CLP 909

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.99 CLP 970

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$3.52 CLP 3,467

-32.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$4.55 CLP 4,477

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.06 CLP 1,043

93.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$1.62 CLP 1,593

-13.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.83 CLP 1,804

-30.05%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$3.70 CLP 3,640

-39.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$7.08 CLP 6,974

139.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$2.51 CLP 2,473

9.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$8.12 CLP 7,998

15.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.48 CLP 1,454

62.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.64 CLP 1,616

-38.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.25 CLP 1,234

28.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.03 CLP 1,018

47.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.44 CLP 1,415

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.26 CLP 1,236

-11.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$1.03 CLP 1,009

-30.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$1.19 CLP 1,176

-56.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$4.58 CLP 4,507

-5.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$3.37 CLP 3,320

426.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.25 CLP 1,234

30.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.03 CLP 1,996

40.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.58 CLP 571

46.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$36.06 CLP 35.5K

49.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$0.60 CLP 590

95.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.15 CLP 1,133

-50.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$12.29 CLP 12.1K

-80.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.34 CLP 1,316

8.21%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$11.9K CLP 11.7M

71.97%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$14.7K CLP 14.5M

79.77%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$127 CLP 125.4K

-51.09%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$10.30 CLP 10.1K

19.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$23.07 CLP 22.7K

-13.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$15.49 CLP 15.3K

144.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$16.60 CLP 16.3K

-77.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$11.08 CLP 10.9K

-39.44%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$35.58 CLP 35.0K

49.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$18.16 CLP 17.9K

37.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$48.07 CLP 47.3K

90.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$64.8 CLP 63.7K

13.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$302 CLP 297.5K

53.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$243 CLP 239.7K

25.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$445 CLP 437.9K

105.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$330 CLP 324.8K

67.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$2,415 CLP 2.4M

-20.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$2,414 CLP 2.4M

-40.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$664 CLP 653.6K

-10.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chillan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Chillan

$243 27.8% 20.1% $61

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Chillan

$177 20.2% 25.7% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Chillan

$75 8.6% 31.6% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Chillan

$161 18.4% 70% $66

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Chillan

$138 15.7% 74.2% $59

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Chillan

$45 5.1% 27% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Chillan

$38 4.3% 26.7% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $302 in Chillan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Chillan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $47.00 in Chillan. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $177 in Chillan – so Chillan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇱 Chillan

🕒 Local time

06:25 6:25 AM

20:25 8:25 PM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

164,270

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Chillan 17,850 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Chillan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chillan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Chillan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,314 in Chillan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chillan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Chillan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 35% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chillan, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Chillan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chillan costs $876 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chillan. 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.