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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 10.5% cheaper than Puntarenas without rent, and 31.8% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 18.2% cheaper than Puntarenas without rent, and 31.5% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Puntarenas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$7.35 ₡3,679
-72.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$60.4 ₡30.2K
-68.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$8.98 ₡4,495
-14.59%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$3.94 ₡1,970
-49.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$2.01 ₡1,004
-59.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$1.58 ₡791
-79.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$2.92 ₡1,459
-27.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$4.78 ₡2,394
-21.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Puntarenas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$2 ₡999
-18.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$2.81 ₡1,405
-44.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$2.03 ₡1,016
-41.38%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$2.27 ₡1,137
-12.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$3.46 ₡1,731
362.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$7.82 ₡3,916
-60.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$8.86 ₡4,434
25.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$3.47 ₡1,739
-20.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$0.98 ₡491
24.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$1.17 ₡584
46.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.32 ₡661
17.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$1.54 ₡772
-12.99%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$1.58 ₡789
-23.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$0.79 ₡394
-8.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$1.97 ₡988
-73.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$4.47 ₡2,240
5.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$7.41 ₡3,711
148.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$1.63 ₡817
9.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$2.37 ₡1,186
35.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Puntarenas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$1.01 ₡507
-6.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.84 ₡923
-22.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$1.8 ₡902
-25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$7.86 ₡3,935
-0.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.36 ₡683
-8.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$38.1K ₡19.1M
-44.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$16.9K ₡8.5M
29.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Puntarenas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$49.78 ₡24.9K
41.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$19.83 ₡9,925
-30.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$24.34 ₡12.2K
-27.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Puntarenas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$55.8 ₡27.9K
-25.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$23.65 ₡11.8K
-70.82%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$9.69 ₡4,853
-40.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Puntarenas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$575 ₡288K
-46.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$12.8K ₡6.4M
14.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Puntarenas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$23.85 ₡11.9K
132.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$15.67 ₡7,844
68.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$125 ₡62.4K
-31.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$48.06 ₡24.1K
49.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Puntarenas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$761 ₡381.1K
-42.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$591 ₡295.9K
-60.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$1,510 ₡755.8K
-45.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$965 ₡483.1K
-48.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$916 ₡458.4K
138.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$607 ₡303.6K
154.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Puntarenas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$874 ₡437.7K
-19.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
6
-16.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Puntarenas: October 29, 2025

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