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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $787 in El Viejo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,230 in El Viejo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,672 in El Viejo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than El Viejo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and El Viejo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, El Viejo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$10.08 NIO 369

-79.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$37.61 NIO 1,377

-47.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.65 NIO 280

-24.31%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.59 NIO 94.7

-29.34%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.88 NIO 32.11

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.67 NIO 24.54

-53.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.41 NIO 51.8

65.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.01 NIO 73.8

84.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.28 NIO 46.77

58.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.38 NIO 87.3

-32.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.73 NIO 63.3

-17.92%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.31 NIO 84.5

-5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$11.63 NIO 426

36.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.57 NIO 241

-53.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.25 NIO 265

36.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.74 NIO 137

-29.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.63 NIO 22.99

74.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.82 NIO 66.6

-10.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.29 NIO 83.8

-33.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$3.83 NIO 140

-67.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.18 NIO 79.7

-48.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.04 NIO 37.94

-28.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.08 NIO 39.39

-53.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.59 NIO 94.8

65.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$14.49 NIO 531

24.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.43 NIO 52.4

18.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.34 NIO 85.8

23.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.66 NIO 60.8

-25.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.60 NIO 58.7

-66.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$6.86 NIO 251

-65.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.30 NIO 47.64

10.77%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$22.7K NIO 830.4K

-6.53%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$26.2K NIO 960.7K

4.09%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$120 NIO 4,409

-46.07%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$16.95 NIO 621

-21.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$37.01 NIO 1,355

-43.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$8.38 NIO 307

-19.93%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$234 NIO 8,563

236.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$6,014 NIO 220.3K

151.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$70.5 NIO 2,581

-20.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$72.2 NIO 2,646

-65.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$132 NIO 4,820

-29.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$107 NIO 3,927

-29.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.25

-45.66%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in El Viejo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $257 – 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 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,181 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in El Viejo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in El Viejo, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In El Viejo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Viejo costs $787 versus $950 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.