Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and La Serena

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,093 in La Serena, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in La Serena
Learn more

La Serena Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

La Serena

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,093

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in La Serena

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 La Serena actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,093 in La Serena, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
La Serena $1,093

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,806 in La Serena, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
La Serena $1,806

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,518 in La Serena, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
La Serena $2,518

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than La Serena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and La Serena are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, La Serena 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$7.54 CLP 7,489

-70.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$47.87 CLP 47.5K

-60.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$8.24 CLP 8,183

-32.65%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.91 CLP 2,890

-42.61%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$1.08 CLP 1,075

-40.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.63 CLP 624

-50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.08 CLP 2,062

13.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.90 CLP 3,874

-6.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.16 CLP 1,150

68.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$2.38 CLP 2,361

-39.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.50 CLP 1,488

-11.33%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.69 CLP 3,663

-38.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$12.25 CLP 12.2K

34.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$5.63 CLP 5,596

-50.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$12.68 CLP 12.6K

-26.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.86 CLP 1,847

26.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.67 CLP 1,663

-41.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.25 CLP 1,238

28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.42 CLP 1,414

5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$1.16 CLP 1,149

10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.18 CLP 1,168

-6.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.00 CLP 996

-29.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.89 CLP 886

-44.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$5.11 CLP 5,074

-18.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$5.14 CLP 5,109

240.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.97 CLP 968

65.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.01 CLP 2,001

38.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.99 CLP 983

-12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$34.66 CLP 34.4K

56.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.70 CLP 693

65.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$2.00 CLP 1,982

-73.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$12.35 CLP 12.3K

-80.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.38 CLP 1,368

5.07%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$19.2K CLP 19.1M

9.50%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$12.1K CLP 12.0M

123.46%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$84.7 CLP 84.2K

-26.61%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$10.79 CLP 10.7K

12.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$20.76 CLP 20.6K

-3.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$88.4 CLP 87.8K

-57.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$20.59 CLP 20.4K

-81.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$7.97 CLP 7,912

-18.57%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$42.44 CLP 42.2K

25.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$59.5 CLP 59.1K

-58.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$90.1 CLP 89.5K

1.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$102 CLP 100.9K

-29.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$414 CLP 411.6K

16.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$316 CLP 313.7K

-2.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$877 CLP 871.4K

14.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$696 CLP 690.9K

-8.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,009 CLP 2.0M

17.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,298 CLP 1.3M

22.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$710 CLP 705.2K

-16.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.5

-14.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for La Serena: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

La Serena

$316 28.9% 2.2% $6.9

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

La Serena

$230 21.1% 1.8% $4.2

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

La Serena

$132 12.1% 21.6% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

La Serena

$116 10.6% 23.1% $22

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

La Serena

$145 13.3% 86.9% $67

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

La Serena

$49 4.5% 19.7% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

La Serena

$104 9.6% 108% $54

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $414 in La Serena. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in La Serena. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $48 in La Serena. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $230 in La Serena – so La Serena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇱 La Serena

🕒 Local time

10:24 10:24 AM

00:24 12:24 AM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

195,382

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.07 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.02 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 993 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.01 USD). 1 EUR = 1,109 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.02 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai La Serena 18,430 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
La Serena

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 La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Serena costs about 17% 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 $1,640 in La Serena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Serena, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $414 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,093 in La Serena. That makes Chiang Mai about 14% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 36% less in La Serena. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,093 in La Serena. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,093 in La Serena. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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