Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Las Tablas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $456 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Las Tablas

🇵🇦 Panama

$456

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Las Tablas

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 Las Tablas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $456 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Las Tablas $456

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $678 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Las Tablas $678

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $901 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Las Tablas $901

Chiang Mai costs about 105% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Las Tablas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Las Tablas 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$9.89 PAB 9.89

-77.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$29.99 PAB 29.99

-36.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$8.48 PAB 8.48

-34.55%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.98 PAB 0.98

-34.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$1.02 PAB 1.02

-69.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.28 PAB 1.28

84.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.73 PAB 2.73

34.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.90 PAB 1.90

-24.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.10 PAB 2.10

8.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$4.51 PAB 4.51

-47.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.25 PAB 1.25

-22.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.50 PAB 1.50

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$1.22 PAB 1.22

-41.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.98 PAB 0.98

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$5.72 PAB 5.72

206.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.30 PAB 1.30

23.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.73 PAB 1.73

60.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.98 PAB 0.98

18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.92 PAB 0.92

57.61%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$147 PAB 147

-57.77%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$22.97 PAB 22.97

-47.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$37.35 PAB 37.35

-46.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$19.79 PAB 19.79

88.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Las Tablas: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Las Tablas

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Las Tablas

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Las Tablas

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Las Tablas

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Las Tablas

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Las Tablas

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Las Tablas

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $30 in Las Tablas. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $103 in Las Tablas – so Las Tablas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇦 Las Tablas

🕒 Local time

21:07 9:07 PM

09:07 9:07 AM

12 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

8,939

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.11 PAB (1 PAB = 0.899 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Las Tablas 17,060 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Las Tablas

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 Las Tablas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 105% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $684 in Las Tablas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $456 in Las Tablas. That’s a gap of about 105%.

Groceries cost about 128% 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.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $456, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Las Tablas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $456 in Las Tablas to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.