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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,365 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,283 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,202 in Diego Martin, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 32% cheaper than Diego Martin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Diego Martin is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$10.21 TTD 68.7

-79.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$87.2 TTD 587

-77.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.03 TTD 60.8

-37.21%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.80 TTD 25.58

-52.37%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.23 TTD 8.29

-37.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.77 TTD 5.16

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.24 TTD 15.06

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.88 TTD 19.39

31.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.38 TTD 15.99

-13.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.23 TTD 14.99

-32.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.91 TTD 19.60

-51.89%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$4.29 TTD 28.84

-47.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$6.60 TTD 44.42

145.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$10.19 TTD 68.6

-71.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.70 TTD 58.6

8.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$5.53 TTD 37.21

-51.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.48 TTD 16.70

-56.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$3.67 TTD 24.66

-55.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.26 TTD 28.64

-65.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.73 TTD 4.89

75.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.72 TTD 4.87

47.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.49 TTD 10.02

-51.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.15 TTD 7.70

-53.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$5.67 TTD 38.14

-25.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$17.92 TTD 121

2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.55 TTD 10.45

5.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$3.08 TTD 20.70

-5.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.91 TTD 6.14

-3.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$74.9 TTD 504

-28.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.00 TTD 6.72

17.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.92 TTD 6.21

-36.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$14.95 TTD 101

-84.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.11 TTD 7.48

30.63%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$14.4K TTD 97.2K

45.50%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$41.9K TTD 282.0K

-36.96%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$44.77 TTD 301

42.17%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$42.81 TTD 288

-69.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$45.22 TTD 304

-54.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$44.58 TTD 300

-12.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$8.81 TTD 59.3

-25.31%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$391 TTD 2,633

100.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$11.0K TTD 73.8K

33.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$54.1 TTD 364

1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$36.45 TTD 245

-32.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$88.8 TTD 597

6.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$89.0 TTD 599

-16.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$657 TTD 4,420

-25.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$441 TTD 2,970

-34.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,442 TTD 9,700

-38.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$952 TTD 6,403

-45.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$1,781 TTD 12.0K

-66.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.75

-3.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $657 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 196% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $87.0 in Diego Martin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $323 – 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 46% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,047 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $391 in Diego Martin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $932, than in Diego Martin at $1,365. 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 $932 versus $1,365 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.