Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,735 in Costa Rica, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
86

Cost of Living Index in Costa Rica
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Costa Rica Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,735

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 44.2% cheaper than Costa Rica without rent, and 47.8% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 46.1% cheaper than Costa Rica without rent, and 49.4% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$11.78 ₡5,312

-81.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿649

$55.5 ₡25.0K

-65.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿183

$10.72 ₡4,831

-48.97%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.4

$4.49 ₡2,023

-62.58%

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

$0.66 ฿22.10

$2.33 ₡1,051

-71.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.52

$1.81 ₡815

-81.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.0

$3.23 ₡1,455

-25.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$4.42 ₡1,992

-15.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿68.9

$2.30 ₡1,037

-10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.78

$3.55 ₡1,600

-58.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.09

$2.71 ₡1,221

-50.18%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.0

$4.05 ₡1,825

-43.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿546

$9.92 ₡4,473

64.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.3

$10.49 ₡4,729

-74.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿308

$13.56 ₡6,111

-32.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.1

$5.13 ₡2,312

-53.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.66

$1.68 ₡758

-38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.7

$3.63 ₡1,639

-55.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.37

$3.24 ₡1,463

-55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.59

$3.40 ₡1,534

-61.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.29

$3.09 ₡1,394

-64.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.55

$1.11 ₡501

-36.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.99

$2.64 ₡1,192

-80.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿138

$5.43 ₡2,446

-23.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$15.63 ₡7,048

13.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.7

$2.75 ₡1,238

-40.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.0

$3.27 ₡1,472

-12.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.76

$1.07 ₡480

-19.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,780

$65.3 ₡29.4K

-18.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.81

$2.18 ₡981

-44.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.81

$2.03 ₡916

-72.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.5

$8.82 ₡3,977

-73.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.2

$1.53 ₡688

-1.96%

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

$20.9K ฿698.3K

$32.8K ₡14.8M

-36.36%

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

$26.7K ฿895.0K

$36.0K ₡16.2M

-25.69%

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

$61.3 ฿2,051

$93.4 ₡42.1K

-34.41%

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

$12.50 ฿419

$30.19 ₡13.6K

-58.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿682

$57.1 ₡25.7K

-64.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,270

$65.1 ₡29.3K

-41.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$22.13 ₡9,976

-82.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿221

$8.09 ₡3,645

-18.42%

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

$774 ฿25.9K

$740 ₡333.8K

4.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿483.2K

$12.6K ₡5.7M

14.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,835

$75.5 ₡34.0K

-27.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿846

$54.6 ₡24.6K

-53.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,032

$127 ₡57.4K

-28.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$107 ₡48.3K

-31.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$833 ₡375.3K

-44.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,835

$641 ₡289.1K

-54.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.8K

$1,776 ₡800.8K

-48.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$1,191 ₡536.9K

-53.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.2K

$2,437 ₡1.1M

-21.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.4K

$1,631 ₡735.2K

-11.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.8K

$1,033 ₡465.8K

-42.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.56

-41.74%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8%

Costa Rica

$641 36.7% 118% $348

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6%

Costa Rica

$379 21.7% 60.6% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9%

Costa Rica

$164 9.4% 49.5% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Costa Rica

$181 10.3% 91.9% $87

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4%

Costa Rica

$222 12.7% 187% $145

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Costa Rica

$82 4.7% 35.1% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Costa Rica

$81 4.6% 58.9% $30

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

🕒 Local time

12:59 12:59 PM

23:59 11:59 PM

13 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

5,044,197

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, 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 = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Costa Rica 16,800 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Costa Rica

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 other spots: cost of living compared

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