Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Guanacaste Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Guanacaste

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 17.4% cheaper than Guanacaste without rent, and 39.6% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 30% cheaper than Guanacaste without rent, and 36.4% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Guanacaste
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿64.2
$9.94 ₡4,672
-79.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿588
$44.59 ₡21.0K
-58.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿237
$10.09 ₡4,745
-25.87%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿63.2
$3.82 ₡1,798
-47.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿26.81
$1.96 ₡922
-56.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.13
$1.60 ₡754
-78.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿70.0
$2.89 ₡1,360
-23.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿119
$4.26 ₡2,002
-11.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Guanacaste
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.4
$1.89 ₡891
-8.99%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿51.7
$2.89 ₡1,361
-43.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿36.66
$2.18 ₡1,024
-46.79%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿62.6
$2.94 ₡1,383
-32.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿504
$4.94 ₡2,325
222.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿100
$3.88 ₡1,826
-18.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿345
$10.11 ₡4,753
7.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿83.7
$2.32 ₡1,091
14.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿38.70
$1.47 ₡690
-17.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿53.7
$3.87 ₡1,819
-56.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿50.3
$1.35 ₡635
17.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿41.90
$3.45 ₡1,622
-61.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿36.99
$2.00 ₡941
-41.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.46
$0.84 ₡395
-19.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.64
$2.93 ₡1,377
-80.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿143
$4.06 ₡1,908
11.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿604
$19.87 ₡9,345
-4.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿56.0
$2.49 ₡1,173
-28.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿101
$2.37 ₡1,113
34.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Guanacaste
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.47
$0.97 ₡458
-1.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿598
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿42.98
$1.78 ₡836
-23.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿42.80
$1.80 ₡844
-25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿254
$7.68 ₡3,610
4.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.34
$1.41 ₡663
-12.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿669.8K
$37.8K ₡17.8M
-44.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿688.5K
$32.9K ₡15.5M
-33.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Guanacaste
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,255
$92.7 ₡43.6K
-23.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿446
$25.86 ₡12.2K
-45.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿553
$29.88 ₡14.1K
-41.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Guanacaste
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,332
$55.9 ₡26.3K
-24.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿218
$23.95 ₡11.3K
-71.27%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿188
$9.71 ₡4,565
-38.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Guanacaste
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,728
$567 ₡266.7K
-45.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿468.2K
$12.7K ₡6.0M
16.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Guanacaste
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,762
$60.2 ₡28.3K
-7.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿848
$39.32 ₡18.5K
-31.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,634
$80.5 ₡37.9K
3.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,219
$69.5 ₡32.7K
0.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Guanacaste
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.5K
$766 ₡360.0K
-44.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,504
$589 ₡277.1K
-59.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.4K
$1,494 ₡702.5K
-46.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿15.9K
$971 ₡456.8K
-48.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿65.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿48.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Guanacaste
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
10.17
-50.84%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Guanacaste: March 1, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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