Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and El Progreso Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and El Progreso

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $565 in El Progreso, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $896 in El Progreso, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,227 in El Progreso, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than El Progreso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and El Progreso are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, El Progreso 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.6

$5.87 HNL 157

-65.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿633

$24.96 HNL 667

-25.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$7.76 HNL 208

1.03%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.1

$1.46 HNL 39.03

32.19%

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

$0.83 ฿28.10

$1.00 HNL 26.70

-17.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.84

$0.98 HNL 26.18

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿75.1

$1.17 HNL 31.19

89.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$1.99 HNL 53.1

90.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.6

$1.33 HNL 35.57

24.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$2.10 HNL 56.1

-26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.93

$1.22 HNL 32.66

-3.28%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.1

$2.10 HNL 56.2

-4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿546

$4.28 HNL 114

277.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$3.69 HNL 98.7

-17.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$7.77 HNL 208

39.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.6

$3.00 HNL 80.4

-10.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.28

$1.46 HNL 38.94

-16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿55.0

$1.44 HNL 38.46

13.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.7

$1.59 HNL 42.45

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.26

$1.62 HNL 43.19

-17.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿41.00

$1.36 HNL 36.43

-11.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.72

$0.83 HNL 22.28

-15.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.76

$1.71 HNL 45.83

-69.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$2.44 HNL 65.3

92.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿599

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.4

$1.29 HNL 34.46

43.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿109

$1.80 HNL 48.27

78.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.12

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.57

$4.25 HNL 114

-66.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.74

$1.08 HNL 28.81

19.44%

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

$21.8K ฿736.0K

$19.5K HNL 521.1K

11.72%

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

$21.7K ฿733.4K

$19.0K HNL 508.5K

14.08%

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

$70.0 ฿2,366

$81.4 HNL 2,176

-13.98%

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

$14.19 ฿480

$8.78 HNL 235

61.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿589

$40.49 HNL 1,083

-56.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,408

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$5.93 HNL 159

-2.53%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$246 HNL 6,584

21.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿491.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,872

$45.70 HNL 1,222

21.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿890

$35.35 HNL 945

-25.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,868

$109 HNL 2,923

-22.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,383

$104 HNL 2,791

-32.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,947

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for El Progreso: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in El Progreso. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $181 in El Progreso – so El Progreso wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 El Progreso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than El Progreso, 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $848 in El Progreso. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in El Progreso. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $847 in Chiang Mai and $565 in El Progreso, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Progreso costs $565 versus $847 in Chiang Mai. 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 El Progreso. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.