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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,076 in Linares, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,675 in Linares, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,275 in Linares, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Linares, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Linares are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Linares 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.29 CLP 4,706

-62.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$54.8 CLP 48.7K

-65.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.29 CLP 7,370

-4.46%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.27 CLP 2,906

-41.59%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.67 CLP 593

25.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.05 CLP 938

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.17 CLP 2,822

-30.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.15 CLP 2,797

20.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.23 CLP 1,095

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.58 CLP 1,405

2.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.08 CLP 1,847

-43.27%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.62 CLP 2,327

-23.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.44 CLP 9,284

52.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.51 CLP 5,787

-53.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.83 CLP 9,632

-0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.02 CLP 1,793

29.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.55 CLP 1,376

-21.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.06 CLP 1,830

-17.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.85 CLP 754

85.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.77 CLP 688

71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.61 CLP 1,432

-27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.30 CLP 1,152

-48.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.19 CLP 1,061

-52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$5.63 CLP 5,010

-19.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.61 CLP 5,876

175.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.55 CLP 1,377

18.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.51 CLP 2,236

28.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.58 CLP 520

53.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.51 CLP 452

164.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.42 CLP 1,267

-4.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$11.41 CLP 10.1K

-27.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.42 CLP 1,262

-10.56%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$19.5K CLP 17.3M

8.64%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$22.9K CLP 20.4M

-1.99%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$132 CLP 117.3K

-46.82%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$13.63 CLP 12.1K

1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$22.17 CLP 19.7K

-20.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$38.80 CLP 34.5K

7.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$20.93 CLP 18.6K

-68.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.60 CLP 5,869

-12.42%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$432 CLP 384.4K

-29.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,918 CLP 3.5M

278.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$54.7 CLP 48.6K

-0.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$33.20 CLP 29.5K

-21.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$78.1 CLP 69.4K

8.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$82.5 CLP 73.3K

-15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$484 CLP 430.7K

-12.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$372 CLP 330.8K

-35.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$869 CLP 772.9K

-5.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$582 CLP 517.7K

-11.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,322 CLP 2.1M

-11.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,328 CLP 2.1M

-34.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$884 CLP 786.3K

-28.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

1.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Linares: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $484 in Linares. 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 39% higher in Linares, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $55.0 in Linares. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Linares – so Linares 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 Linares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Linares costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,614 in Linares. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $55.0 in Linares. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Linares – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,076 in Linares, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,076 in Linares. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Linares makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.