Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mariano Roque Alonso

For one person, living is cheaper in Mariano Roque Alonso: $578 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
28

Cost of Living Index in Mariano Roque Alonso
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Mariano Roque Alonso Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Mariano Roque Alonso

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$578

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Mariano Roque Alonso

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 Mariano Roque Alonso actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $578 in Mariano Roque Alonso, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Mariano Roque Alonso $578

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $965 in Mariano Roque Alonso, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Mariano Roque Alonso $965

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,352 in Mariano Roque Alonso, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Mariano Roque Alonso $1,352

Chiang Mai costs about 60% more than Mariano Roque Alonso, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Mariano Roque Alonso are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Mariano Roque Alonso 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$7.00 ₲39.8K

-67.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$35.27 ₲200.6K

-44.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$7.11 ₲40.4K

-21.10%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$3.34 ₲19.0K

-50.30%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.10 ₲6,243

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.61 ₲3,455

-49.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.94 ₲11.0K

24.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$1.74 ₲9,892

113.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.20 ₲6,813

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.91 ₲5,168

54.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.35 ₲7,670

-2.96%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.48 ₲14.1K

-12.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$8.87 ₲50.4K

87.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$5.22 ₲29.7K

-47.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$8.46 ₲48.1K

7.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$2.07 ₲11.8K

15.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$0.71 ₲4,017

45.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.84 ₲4,756

94.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$2.13 ₲12.1K

-29.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.40 ₲7,952

-7.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.31 ₲7,461

-15.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.72 ₲4,076

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.77 ₲4,386

-31.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.39 ₲13.6K

80.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$4.28 ₲24.4K

319.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$0.90 ₲5,107

75.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$1.70 ₲9,695

67.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.64 ₲3,624

34.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.52 ₲8,620

-20.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$1.60 ₲9,116

-64.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$10.27 ₲58.4K

-77.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.22 ₲6,932

18.03%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$17.6K ₲100.0M

17.91%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$30.1K ₲171.3M

-11.05%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$50.3 ₲285.8K

24.02%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$17.47 ₲99.3K

-30.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$20.43 ₲116.2K

-2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$31.30 ₲178.0K

18.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$6.84 ₲38.9K

-4.97%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$185 ₲1.1M

329.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$1,269 ₲7.2M

1067.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$43.34 ₲246.4K

24.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$56.6 ₲321.8K

-56.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$87.8 ₲499.0K

3.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$72.6 ₲412.5K

-1.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$875 ₲5.0M

-32.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-38.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Mariano Roque Alonso: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Mariano Roque Alonso

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Mariano Roque Alonso

$178 30.9% 24.2% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Mariano Roque Alonso

$117 20.3% 8.3% $8.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Mariano Roque Alonso

$88 15.3% 6.6% $6.2

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Mariano Roque Alonso

$137 23.8% 74.9% $59

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Mariano Roque Alonso

$12 * 2.1% 80.1% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Mariano Roque Alonso

$45 7.8% 10.1% $5.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 48% higher in Mariano Roque Alonso, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Mariano Roque Alonso. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $178 in Mariano Roque Alonso – so Mariano Roque Alonso wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇾 Mariano Roque Alonso

🕒 Local time

21:26 9:26 PM

11:26 11:26 AM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

72,008

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5,686 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,393 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Mariano Roque Alonso 17,500 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Mariano Roque Alonso

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 Mariano Roque Alonso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 60% more than Mariano Roque Alonso, 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $867 in Mariano Roque Alonso. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Mariano Roque Alonso. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mariano Roque Alonso, where all-in costs run around $578, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Mariano Roque Alonso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mariano Roque Alonso costs $578 versus $925 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 Mariano Roque Alonso. 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.