Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $980 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,596 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,212 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$10.71 ARS 15.3K

-81.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$33.20 ARS 47.4K

-43.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.07 ARS 12.9K

-13.78%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.75 ARS 3,920

-29.09%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.71 ARS 2,434

-50.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.49 ARS 2,120

-76.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.06 ARS 2,944

3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.04 ARS 4,334

22.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.26 ARS 1,794

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.55 ARS 2,216

5.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.96 ARS 2,793

-41.84%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.17 ARS 3,092

-11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.93 ARS 14.2K

63.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.34 ARS 9,037

-50.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.31 ARS 13.3K

17.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.04 ARS 2,916

34.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.06 ARS 2,934

-41.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.27 ARS 1,813

27.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.54 ARS 3,625

-37.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.15 ARS 1,640

21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.24 ARS 1,766

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.26 ARS 1,792

-47.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.48 ARS 2,116

-64.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.20 ARS 4,561

46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.71 ARS 8,150

226.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.02 ARS 2,874

-10.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.16 ARS 4,513

2.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.78 ARS 1,110

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.47 ARS 2,101

-4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.92 ARS 1,307

40.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.82 ARS 8,303

34.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.06 ARS 1,517

19.81%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.8K ARS 39.6M

-23.40%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$30.9K ARS 44.0M

-28.04%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$68.2 ARS 97.3K

1.28%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.50 ARS 25.0K

-19.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$22.44 ARS 32.0K

-19.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$25.68 ARS 36.6K

59.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$14.01 ARS 20.0K

-50.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.15 ARS 8,766

-3.74%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$218 ARS 310.9K

37.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,713 ARS 3.9M

451.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$74.7 ARS 106.6K

-26.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$69.5 ARS 99.2K

-61.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$116 ARS 165.7K

-26.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$112 ARS 159.1K

-36.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$332 ARS 473.9K

28.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$235 ARS 335.0K

1.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$674 ARS 961.6K

18.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$531 ARS 757.3K

-2.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,105 ARS 3.0M

-6.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

-91.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $332 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $231 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña – so Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña 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 Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña costs about 13% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,471 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. 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 $33.00 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña – 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $980 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $980 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. 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, Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.