Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Diego Martin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Diego Martin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,419 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,340 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,260 in Diego Martin, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 40% cheaper than Diego Martin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Diego Martin is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.29 TTD 35.95

-62.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$73.2 TTD 497

-74.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.81 TTD 46.26

16.30%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.62 TTD 24.58

-47.24%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.05 TTD 7.14

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.56 TTD 3.83

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.79 TTD 12.19

23.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.13 TTD 21.24

21.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.76 TTD 18.73

-40.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.13 TTD 14.44

-23.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.61 TTD 17.69

-54.79%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.41 TTD 29.91

-54.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.11 TTD 55.1

95.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$10.38 TTD 70.5

-71.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$14.09 TTD 95.7

-23.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$5.97 TTD 40.51

-56.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.50 TTD 16.98

-51.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$4.36 TTD 29.60

-61.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$4.65 TTD 31.55

-66.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.45 TTD 9.84

-8.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.72 TTD 11.68

-31.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.88 TTD 12.79

-64.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.41 TTD 9.59

-60.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$5.79 TTD 39.29

-21.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$19.81 TTD 135

-8.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.19 TTD 14.89

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.80 TTD 19.02

15.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.93 TTD 6.32

-4.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$74.8 TTD 508

-74.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.00 TTD 6.79

35.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.90 TTD 6.09

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$14.67 TTD 99.6

-43.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.11 TTD 7.55

14.41%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$14.6K TTD 99.0K

45.08%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$38.0K TTD 257.7K

-40.76%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$79.4 TTD 539

-11.63%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$46.81 TTD 318

-70.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$61.4 TTD 417

-71.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$44.10 TTD 299

-5.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.50 TTD 50.9

-22.93%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$325 TTD 2,206

-5.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,326 TTD 49.7K

102.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$59.4 TTD 403

-8.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$38.39 TTD 261

-31.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$146 TTD 993

-42.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$129 TTD 879

-46.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$674 TTD 4,578

-37.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$442 TTD 3,004

-46.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,452 TTD 9,859

-43.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$950 TTD 6,452

-45.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,783 TTD 12.1K

-64.38%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $674 in Diego Martin. 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 181% higher in Diego Martin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $73.0 in Diego Martin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $369 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Diego Martin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diego Martin costs about 67% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,129 in Diego Martin. 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $325 in Diego Martin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Diego Martin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Diego Martin at $1,419. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Diego Martin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,419 in Diego Martin. 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, Diego Martin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.