Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Saint Andrew Parish Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Saint Andrew Parish

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,479 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,447 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,415 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 36% cheaper than Saint Andrew Parish, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Saint Andrew Parish is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$16.01 JMD 2,514

-86.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$66.5 JMD 10.4K

-70.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$8.31 JMD 1,305

-30.32%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$5.32 JMD 836

-65.60%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.20 JMD 189

-35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.68 JMD 107

-54.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.15 JMD 338

8.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.24 JMD 509

14.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$3.37 JMD 529

-39.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.50 JMD 393

-36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.62 JMD 255

-12.35%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.51 JMD 551

-37.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$11.54 JMD 1,813

37.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.47 JMD 1,016

-52.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.38 JMD 1,631

-4.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$6.10 JMD 958

-56.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$3.92 JMD 616

-71.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$5.09 JMD 799

-67.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.06 JMD 481

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$3.26 JMD 512

-61.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.72 JMD 428

-58.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.86 JMD 292

-60.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.97 JMD 152

-48.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$9.62 JMD 1,511

-55.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.37 JMD 1,786

58.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.54 JMD 399

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$3.12 JMD 490

-7.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.61 JMD 95.3

54.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.92 JMD 144

33.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$3.19 JMD 501

-83.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$6.40 JMD 1,005

-62.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.30 JMD 205

10.77%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$43.9K JMD 6.9M

-51.76%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$25.1K JMD 3.9M

8.98%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$115 JMD 18.0K

-43.41%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$28.88 JMD 4,536

-53.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$52.4 JMD 8,224

-60.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$61.0 JMD 9,584

-33.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$13.18 JMD 2,071

-49.09%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$254 JMD 39.9K

209.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$8,164 JMD 1.3M

85.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$23.32 JMD 3,663

141.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$31.23 JMD 4,905

-20.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$79.2 JMD 12.4K

17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

-1.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$819 JMD 128.7K

-40.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$524 JMD 82.3K

-45.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,691 JMD 265.6K

-46.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,111 JMD 174.5K

-52.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$2,681 JMD 421.1K

-26.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$735 JMD 115.5K

-17.65%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $819 in Saint Andrew Parish. 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 21% higher in Saint Andrew Parish, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $66.0 in Saint Andrew Parish. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $343 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Saint Andrew Parish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Andrew Parish costs about 56% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,218 in Saint Andrew Parish. 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 $66.0 in Saint Andrew Parish. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Saint Andrew Parish, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Saint Andrew Parish at $1,479. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Andrew Parish it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,479 in Saint Andrew Parish. 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, Saint Andrew Parish makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.