😐A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $657 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,055 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,453 in Hato Mayor del Rey, rent included.
😐Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Hato Mayor del Rey, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Hato Mayor del Rey are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai32% lower, Hato Mayor del Rey52% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08฿69.5
$8.28DOP 486
-74.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.61฿655
$42.90DOP 2,521
-54.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.67฿189
$7.04DOP 414
-19.46%
Cappuccino
$1.81฿60.3
$1.81DOP 106
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77฿25.65
$0.74DOP 43.64
4.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.53
$0.39DOP 22.88
-10.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿73.9
$2.59DOP 152
-14.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79฿127
$4.11DOP 241
-7.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.05฿68.4
$1.20DOP 70.3
70.83%
White Bread(500g)
$1.51฿50.6
$1.79DOP 105
-15.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40฿46.69
$1.59DOP 93.4
-11.95%
Eggs
$2.26฿75.4
$1.47DOP 86.3
53.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.19฿540
$6.46DOP 380
150.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.90฿96.7
$3.76DOP 221
-22.87%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.42฿314
$4.14DOP 243
127.54%
Apples(1kg)
$2.68฿89.4
$3.71DOP 218
-27.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.09฿36.37
$1.42DOP 83.2
-23.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿54.0
$3.42DOP 201
-52.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.46฿48.74
$0.96DOP 56.2
52.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.28฿42.65
$3.65DOP 215
-64.93%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06฿35.31
$3.00DOP 176
-64.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.72฿23.94
$0.96DOP 56.6
-25.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.56
$0.89DOP 52.4
-40.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23฿141
$4.87DOP 286
-13.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.29฿611
$16.79DOP 987
8.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63฿54.4
$3.06DOP 180
-46.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90฿96.8
$3.47DOP 204
-16.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿29.32
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.8฿1,795
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.17฿39.14
$2.59DOP 152
-54.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58฿19.30
$3.38DOP 198
-82.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.39฿79.6
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.45฿48.41
$1.43DOP 84.1
1.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K฿701.4K
$15.1KDOP 888.9K
38.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K฿882.0K
$26.2KDOP 1.5M
0.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.7฿2,125
$98.6DOP 5,796
-35.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.89฿430
$27.51DOP 1,617
-53.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.52฿685
$40.03DOP 2,352
-48.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.02฿1,302
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.92฿131
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.58฿220
$5.09DOP 299
29.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$784฿26.2K
$153DOP 8,963
413.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.7K฿489.8K
$5,506DOP 323.6K
166.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1฿1,840
$26.81DOP 1,575
105.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.74฿826
$45.90DOP 2,697
-46.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.1฿3,142
$64.2DOP 3,774
46.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.0฿2,469
$68.1DOP 4,002
8.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$490฿16.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$288฿9,620
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891฿29.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$521฿17.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,974฿65.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,444฿48.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Hato Mayor del Rey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$602฿20.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
11
-49.36%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026
Last update for Hato Mayor del Rey: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Hato Mayor del Rey. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $225 in Hato Mayor del Rey – so Hato Mayor del Rey 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 Hato Mayor del Rey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Hato Mayor del Rey?
Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Hato Mayor del Rey, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Hato Mayor del Rey?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $986 in Hato Mayor del Rey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Hato Mayor del Rey?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $43.00 in Hato Mayor del Rey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Hato Mayor del Rey?
Groceries cost about 7% 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.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Chiang Mai or in Hato Mayor del Rey?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hato Mayor del Rey, where all-in costs run around $657, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Hato Mayor del Rey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Hato Mayor del Rey?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hato Mayor del Rey costs $657 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Hato Mayor del Rey?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Hato Mayor del Rey?
If budget matters most, go with Hato Mayor del Rey. 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.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared