Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Concepcion

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,060 in Concepcion, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Concepcion
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Concepcion Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

Concepcion

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,060

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Concepcion actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,060 in Concepcion, rent included.

Chiang Mai $906
Concepcion $1,060

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,654 in Concepcion, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,385
Concepcion $1,654

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,247 in Concepcion, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,864
Concepcion $2,247

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Concepcion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Concepcion are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Concepcion 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$7.02 CLP 6,844

-69.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿649

$45.59 CLP 44.5K

-57.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿183

$7.64 CLP 7,454

-28.40%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.4

$2.83 CLP 2,760

-40.64%

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

$0.66 ฿22.10

$1.43 CLP 1,391

-53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.52

$1.05 CLP 1,022

-67.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.0

$3.89 CLP 3,797

-37.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$3.74 CLP 3,650

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿68.9

$1.26 CLP 1,227

63.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.78

$1.51 CLP 1,469

-3.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.09

$1.53 CLP 1,488

-11.76%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.0

$3.63 CLP 3,538

-37.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿546

$10.94 CLP 10.7K

49.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.3

$6.65 CLP 6,484

-59.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿308

$11.78 CLP 11.5K

-21.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.1

$1.45 CLP 1,413

64.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.66

$1.35 CLP 1,315

-22.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.7

$1.49 CLP 1,453

7.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.37

$1.41 CLP 1,370

2.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.59

$1.04 CLP 1,013

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.29

$1.31 CLP 1,277

-15.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.55

$1.12 CLP 1,089

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.99

$1.18 CLP 1,152

-56.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿138

$5.09 CLP 4,959

-18.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$5.01 CLP 4,881

254.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.7

$0.96 CLP 940

69.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.0

$1.69 CLP 1,645

69.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.76

$0.55 CLP 539

56.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,780

$31.51 CLP 30.7K

68.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.81

$1.20 CLP 1,169

1.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.81

$2.25 CLP 2,198

-75.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.5

$12.28 CLP 12.0K

-81.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.2

$1.37 CLP 1,336

9.49%

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

$20.9K ฿698.3K

$19.9K CLP 19.4M

4.59%

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

$26.7K ฿895.0K

$24.7K CLP 24.1M

8.33%

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

$61.3 ฿2,051

$108 CLP 105.2K

-43.25%

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

$12.50 ฿419

$13.06 CLP 12.7K

-4.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿682

$27.55 CLP 26.9K

-26.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,270

$29.45 CLP 28.7K

28.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$10.48 CLP 10.2K

-64.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿221

$5.74 CLP 5,596

14.98%

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

$774 ฿25.9K

$318 CLP 309.6K

143.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿483.2K

$4,329 CLP 4.2M

233.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,835

$45.10 CLP 44.0K

21.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿846

$22.28 CLP 21.7K

13.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,032

$63.8 CLP 62.2K

42.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$64.7 CLP 63.0K

13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$474 CLP 461.9K

-3.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,835

$346 CLP 337.0K

-15.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.8K

$955 CLP 931.2K

-3.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$643 CLP 627.1K

-14.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.2K

$2,137 CLP 2.1M

-10.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.4K

$1,810 CLP 1.8M

-20.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.8K

$542 CLP 528.2K

9.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.3

5.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Concepcion: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8%

Concepcion

$346 33.2% 17.6% $52

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6%

Concepcion

$221 21.2% 6.5% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9%

Concepcion

$88 8.5% 19.7% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Concepcion

$149 14.3% 57.8% $54

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4%

Concepcion

$150 14.4% 94% $73

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Concepcion

$46 4.4% 23.8% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Concepcion

$41 3.9% 19.9% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $474 in Concepcion. 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 9% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $46.00 in Concepcion. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Chiang Mai vs $221 in Concepcion – so Concepcion wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇱 Concepcion

🕒 Local time

18:58 6:58 PM

08:58 8:58 AM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

217,537

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.26 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.15 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 975 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 1,093 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.15 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Concepcion 17,860 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Concepcion

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 Concepcion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Concepcion costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,591 in Concepcion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Chiang Mai and $318 in Concepcion. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Concepcion – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Concepcion at $1,060. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Concepcion it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $906 versus $1,060 in Concepcion. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Concepcion makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.