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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $717 in El Viejo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,152 in El Viejo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,588 in El Viejo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than El Viejo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and El Viejo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, El Viejo 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.02 NIO 184

-60.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$34.76 NIO 1,273

-45.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.88 NIO 252

12.65%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.43 NIO 89.1

-20.99%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.80 NIO 29.35

-1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.73 NIO 26.83

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.29 NIO 47.28

71.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.97 NIO 72.3

85.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.22 NIO 44.68

35.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.48 NIO 90.8

-34.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.82 NIO 66.7

-34.62%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.24 NIO 81.9

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.03 NIO 404

44.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.49 NIO 238

-53.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.02 NIO 294

35.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.94 NIO 144

-29.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.84 NIO 30.69

40.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.82 NIO 66.6

-9.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.29 NIO 83.8

-33.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$3.83 NIO 140

-63.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.19 NIO 80.2

-45.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.06 NIO 38.86

-33.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.02 NIO 37.26

-45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.63 NIO 96.5

74.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$14.79 NIO 542

11.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.39 NIO 51.1

31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.24 NIO 82.1

42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.52 NIO 55.7

-10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.76 NIO 248

15.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.30 NIO 47.76

-5.38%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$22.8K NIO 836.0K

-5.27%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$25.9K NIO 949.7K

-13.05%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$97.2 NIO 3,558

-27.39%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$16.79 NIO 615

-18.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$37.30 NIO 1,366

-53.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$8.08 NIO 296

-28.59%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$124 NIO 4,551

147.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,090 NIO 223.1K

139.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$76.5 NIO 2,800

-27.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$72.9 NIO 2,669

-64.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$131 NIO 4,809

-34.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$109 NIO 4,005

-33.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

-51.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in El Viejo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $260 – 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 El Viejo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than El Viejo, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,075 in El Viejo. 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 $35.00 in El Viejo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $717 in El Viejo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Viejo costs $717 versus $869 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 Viejo. 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.