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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $550 in Cofradia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $902 in Cofradia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,253 in Cofradia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Cofradia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cofradia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Cofradia 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.9

$3.94 HNL 105

-49.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿618

$37.88 HNL 1,010

-50.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$7.66 HNL 204

1.17%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.1

$2.35 HNL 62.6

-18.30%

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

$0.79 ฿26.03

$1.02 HNL 27.19

-22.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.72

$1.18 HNL 31.50

-69.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.8

$1.17 HNL 31.14

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$2.74 HNL 73.0

33.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.3

$1.40 HNL 37.40

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.6

$1.53 HNL 40.67

6.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.22

$1.28 HNL 34.12

-7.03%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.7

$0.85 HNL 22.60

135.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿525

$6.06 HNL 161

163.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.4

$3.70 HNL 98.6

-18.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$8.02 HNL 214

35.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$2.85 HNL 75.8

-3.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.77

$1.47 HNL 39.06

-19.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$1.44 HNL 38.41

13.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.59 HNL 42.34

-4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.52

$1.59 HNL 42.32

-13.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.19

$1.34 HNL 35.73

-11.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.08

$0.82 HNL 21.83

-14.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.30

$1.70 HNL 45.27

-67.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿150

$2.54 HNL 67.7

80.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿544

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.21 HNL 32.18

51.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.83 HNL 48.86

74.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.83

$0.74 HNL 19.74

18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.57

$4.31 HNL 115

-68.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.29

$0.95 HNL 25.38

29.47%

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

$21.6K ฿710.8K

$19.4K HNL 518.3K

11.19%

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

$22.5K ฿741.1K

$19.3K HNL 514.2K

16.87%

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

$70.5 ฿2,319

$80.8 HNL 2,152

-12.64%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$9.18 HNL 245

49.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$41.44 HNL 1,104

-57.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,359

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$5.74 HNL 153

0.52%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$253 HNL 6,745

21.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,834

$39.07 HNL 1,041

42.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿861

$36.37 HNL 969

-27.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,819

$108 HNL 2,869

-20.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,375

$103 HNL 2,734

-29.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,845

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$304 HNL 8,116

168.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cofradia: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Cofradia. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $176 in Cofradia – so Cofradia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cofradia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Cofradia, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $825 in Cofradia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Cofradia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $550 in Cofradia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cofradia costs $550 versus $869 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 Cofradia. 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.