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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,059 in Linares, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,646 in Linares, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,234 in Linares, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% 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 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$5.30 CLP 4,697

-63.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$54.5 CLP 48.2K

-66.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$8.27 CLP 7,329

-4.84%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$3.17 CLP 2,804

-38.49%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.68 CLP 601

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$1.07 CLP 945

-70.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$3.25 CLP 2,879

-34.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$3.20 CLP 2,833

15.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.18 CLP 1,049

40.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$1.58 CLP 1,401

-1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$2.09 CLP 1,849

-43.06%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.63 CLP 2,330

-24.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$10.27 CLP 9,101

58.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$6.87 CLP 6,083

-53.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$10.80 CLP 9,564

0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.10 CLP 1,864

26.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.61 CLP 1,430

-24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$2.11 CLP 1,868

-21.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$0.90 CLP 793

72.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.79 CLP 697

68.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.68 CLP 1,491

-27.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.30 CLP 1,148

-47.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$1.19 CLP 1,054

-52.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$5.63 CLP 4,988

-16.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$6.53 CLP 5,787

160.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.60 CLP 1,413

13.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.50 CLP 2,217

27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.62 CLP 549

46.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.50 CLP 446

182.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.47 CLP 1,305

-8.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$11.49 CLP 10.2K

-29.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.44 CLP 1,274

-11.11%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$19.9K CLP 17.6M

9.64%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$22.8K CLP 20.2M

-1.85%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$134 CLP 118.4K

-47.29%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$13.66 CLP 12.1K

2.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$21.80 CLP 19.3K

-19.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$39.12 CLP 34.6K

5.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$21.66 CLP 19.2K

-68.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$6.43 CLP 5,699

-7.31%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$439 CLP 388.9K

-30.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$3,906 CLP 3.5M

282.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$55.3 CLP 49.0K

-1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$33.34 CLP 29.5K

-21.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$76.6 CLP 67.8K

12.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$84.8 CLP 75.1K

-17.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$474 CLP 419.9K

-9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$377 CLP 333.9K

-36.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$876 CLP 775.6K

-7.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$602 CLP 533.6K

-15.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$2,290 CLP 2.0M

-11.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$2,353 CLP 2.1M

-36.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$894 CLP 791.7K

-30.34%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Linares: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $474 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 44% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $54.0 in Linares. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $228 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 25% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,588 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $54.0 in Linares. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $1,059 in Linares, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,059 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.