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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,155 in Necochea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,885 in Necochea, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,615 in Necochea, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Necochea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Necochea are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Necochea 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$13.80 ARS 20.8K

-84.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$48.87 ARS 73.6K

-59.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$11.77 ARS 17.7K

-51.83%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$4.07 ARS 6,134

-55.53%

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

$0.77 ฿25.56

$2.33 ARS 3,510

-66.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.95 ARS 2,936

-82.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.36 ARS 5,059

-34.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.24 ARS 6,391

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.23 ARS 1,845

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$2.39 ARS 3,604

-36.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.54

$1.83 ARS 2,754

-23.50%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.24 ARS 3,381

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$11.34 ARS 17.1K

42.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$8.05 ARS 12.1K

-63.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$10.60 ARS 16.0K

-11.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.59 ARS 3,905

3.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.25

$2.19 ARS 3,294

-50.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.65 ARS 2,483

-1.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.58

$2.06 ARS 3,097

-29.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.51

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.19

$1.05 ARS 1,583

0.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.50

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.42 ARS 5,155

23.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$4.95 ARS 7,461

269.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.22

$0.90 ARS 1,352

-2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,789

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.02

$1.59 ARS 2,390

-26.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.24

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.25

$1.05 ARS 1,588

38.10%

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

$21.0K ฿699.1K

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

$26.4K ฿879.1K

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

$63.7 ฿2,118

$120 ARS 180.0K

-46.76%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$18.99 ARS 28.6K

-32.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$31.43 ARS 47.3K

-34.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,298

$31.97 ARS 48.2K

22.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$10.06 ARS 15.2K

-34.59%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$337 ARS 507.6K

132.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,834

$107 ARS 161.7K

-48.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,132

$107 ARS 161.6K

-12.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,461

$119 ARS 178.7K

-37.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$427 ARS 643.8K

14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,588

$328 ARS 493.7K

-12.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$984 ARS 1.5M

-9.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$698 ARS 1.1M

-25.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Necochea: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $427 in Necochea. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Necochea. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $214 in Necochea – so Necochea 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 Necochea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Necochea costs about 24% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,733 in Necochea. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $49.00 in Necochea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Necochea – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Necochea at $1,155. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Necochea it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,155 in Necochea. 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, Necochea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.