Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Escazu

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,934 in Escazu, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in Escazu
Learn more

Escazu Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Escazu

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Escazu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Escazu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,934 in Escazu, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Escazu $1,934

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,959 in Escazu, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Escazu $2,959

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,984 in Escazu, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Escazu $3,984

Chiang Mai is about 52% cheaper than Escazu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Escazu is 43% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$12.06 ₡5,423

-82.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$61.8 ₡27.8K

-69.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$11.76 ₡5,287

-52.38%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$4.49 ₡2,020

-63.03%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$2.66 ₡1,195

-75.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$1.91 ₡860

-84.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$3.35 ₡1,504

-30.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$4.34 ₡1,952

-15.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.45 ₡1,100

-17.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$3.09 ₡1,389

-54.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$2.50 ₡1,124

-44.40%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$3.45 ₡1,550

-31.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$10.68 ₡4,803

54.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$10.28 ₡4,621

-74.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$14.14 ₡6,358

-36.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$5.16 ₡2,322

-53.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$1.57 ₡704

-33.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$3.23 ₡1,452

-48.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$3.00 ₡1,350

-48.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$3.79 ₡1,702

-67.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$3.73 ₡1,675

-70.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$0.99 ₡446

-23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$1.68 ₡754

-69.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$5.48 ₡2,462

-24.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$18.92 ₡8,505

-5.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.68 ₡754

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$2.77 ₡1,245

1.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$1.05 ₡471

-11.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$2.05 ₡922

-42.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$1.86 ₡834

-90.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$8.09 ₡3,636

-77.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$1.48 ₡664

-0.68%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$28.0K ₡12.6M

-24.82%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$36.6K ₡16.4M

-27.51%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$94.5 ₡42.5K

-33.82%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$29.94 ₡13.5K

-61.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$58.6 ₡26.3K

-65.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$105 ₡47.3K

-64.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$9.81 ₡4,411

-62.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$7.66 ₡3,445

-15.01%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$458 ₡206.0K

58.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$17.2K ₡7.7M

-3.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$71.8 ₡32.3K

-25.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$54.9 ₡24.7K

-54.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$128 ₡57.3K

-29.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$133 ₡59.6K

-45.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$866 ₡389.1K

-44.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$848 ₡381.2K

-63.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$1,929 ₡867.0K

-45.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$1,501 ₡674.7K

-56.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$1,404 ₡630.9K

72.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$969 ₡435.8K

65.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$1,792 ₡805.4K

-66.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.62

-35.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Escazu: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Escazu

$848 43.9% 174% $538

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Escazu

$363 18.8% 53.4% $126

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Escazu

$174 9% 60.7% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Escazu

$183 9.5% 93.8% $89

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Escazu

$229 11.9% 200% $153

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Escazu

$16 * 0.8% 73.5% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Escazu

$121 6.2% 137% $70

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $866 in Escazu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Escazu are about 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $62 in Escazu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $363 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇷 Escazu

🕒 Local time

22:22 10:22 PM

09:22 9:22 AM

13 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

11,984

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Escazu 16,800 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Escazu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Escazu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Escazu costs about 107% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,900 in Escazu. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $866 in Escazu.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $62 in Escazu. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Escazu, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,934 in Escazu. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $935 versus $1,934 in Escazu. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Escazu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.