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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $574 in Juticalpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $948 in Juticalpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,322 in Juticalpa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 51% more than Juticalpa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Juticalpa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Juticalpa 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$5.68 HNL 151

-65.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$37.32 HNL 994

-50.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$7.50 HNL 200

4.27%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.35 HNL 62.7

-17.02%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.00 HNL 26.65

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$1.17 HNL 31.06

-70.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.17 HNL 31.13

82.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.63 HNL 70.0

41.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.45 HNL 38.59

17.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$2.07 HNL 55.2

-21.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.27 HNL 33.93

-10.24%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.10 HNL 56.0

-8.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.08 HNL 162

166.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.74 HNL 99.5

-16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.94 HNL 212

37.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.90 HNL 77.2

-5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.50 HNL 39.86

-19.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.51 HNL 40.28

7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.53 HNL 40.77

3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.67 HNL 44.43

-16.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.40 HNL 37.18

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.82 HNL 21.94

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.71 HNL 45.52

-69.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.52 HNL 67.1

86.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.31 HNL 34.84

37.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.79 HNL 47.66

80.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$4.35 HNL 116

-67.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.03 HNL 27.33

23.30%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$19.6K HNL 520.8K

8.82%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$19.0K HNL 507.4K

16.61%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$83.1 HNL 2,214

-16.91%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.84 HNL 236

59.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$41.75 HNL 1,112

-56.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.83 HNL 155

1.54%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$245 HNL 6,526

22.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$45.25 HNL 1,205

20.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$35.47 HNL 945

-24.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$111 HNL 2,955

-23.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$100 HNL 2,675

-29.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Juticalpa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $37.00 in Juticalpa. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Juticalpa – so Juticalpa 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 Juticalpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 51% more than Juticalpa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $861 in Juticalpa. 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 $37.00 in Juticalpa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $574 in Juticalpa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Juticalpa costs $574 versus $866 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 Juticalpa. 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.