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 $1,408 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,356 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,304 in Diego Martin, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 39% 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

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.10 TTD 34.23

-60.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$73.1 TTD 491

-74.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.71 TTD 45.05

17.14%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.75 TTD 25.17

-45.87%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.09 TTD 7.35

-26.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.57 TTD 3.84

-38.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.80 TTD 12.07

18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.16 TTD 21.23

16.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.68 TTD 17.96

-35.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.09 TTD 14.00

-24.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.71 TTD 18.18

-55.72%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$4.38 TTD 29.40

-55.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.09 TTD 54.4

100.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$10.37 TTD 69.6

-70.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$14.19 TTD 95.3

-23.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$5.68 TTD 38.17

-51.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.52 TTD 16.89

-53.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$4.37 TTD 29.32

-60.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.83 TTD 32.42

-67.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.49 TTD 10.00

-6.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.65 TTD 11.10

-29.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.90 TTD 12.78

-65.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.40 TTD 9.41

-62.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.84 TTD 39.24

-20.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$18.01 TTD 121

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.12 TTD 14.22

-15.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.85 TTD 19.15

17.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.86 TTD 5.78

5.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$73.8 TTD 495

-74.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.06 TTD 7.12

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.90 TTD 6.02

48.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$14.65 TTD 98.4

-44.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.08 TTD 7.23

13.89%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$14.9K TTD 99.9K

44.06%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$38.9K TTD 261.4K

-43.93%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$80.0 TTD 537

-10.83%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$45.92 TTD 308

-69.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$62.3 TTD 418

-71.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$44.33 TTD 298

-7.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.19 TTD 48.31

-20.45%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$330 TTD 2,218

-6.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$7,260 TTD 48.8K

102.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$59.3 TTD 398

-5.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$38.17 TTD 256

-31.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$146 TTD 983

-42.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$129 TTD 865

-44.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$665 TTD 4,464

-36.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$448 TTD 3,006

-45.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,437 TTD 9,648

-44.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$953 TTD 6,402

-46.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,751 TTD 11.8K

-66.01%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $665 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 194% 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: $244 vs $364 – 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 65% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,111 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $330 in Diego Martin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $1,408. 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 $1,408 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.