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 $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,112 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,858 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,604 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% cheaper than Saint Andrew Parish, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Saint Andrew Parish are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Saint Andrew Parish 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$7.40 JMD 1,171

-72.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$34.06 JMD 5,391

-46.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$6.09 JMD 964

25.62%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$1.90 JMD 301

1.05%

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

$0.84 ฿26.96

$0.91 JMD 143

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.71 JMD 113

-49.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$2.48 JMD 392

-11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$3.05 JMD 483

24.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$4.22 JMD 668

-61.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.9

$1.02 JMD 161

58.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.96

$1.27 JMD 200

-9.45%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.1

$3.48 JMD 550

-44.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$10.89 JMD 1,723

46.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.4

$6.43 JMD 1,018

-51.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$7.52 JMD 1,190

47.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.7

$6.11 JMD 967

-55.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.77

$3.12 JMD 493

-62.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.6

$4.24 JMD 672

-59.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$2.99 JMD 474

-46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.63

$2.03 JMD 321

-31.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.78

$1.92 JMD 304

-40.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.81

$3.10 JMD 491

-77.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.63

$1.43 JMD 226

-61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$8.56 JMD 1,355

-46.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$11.56 JMD 1,830

63.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.3

$2.78 JMD 441

-34.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$3.09 JMD 488

3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿605

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.27

$1.12 JMD 177

25.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.68

$3.16 JMD 500

-58.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$6.09 JMD 965

34.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.27

$1.25 JMD 197

-1.60%

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

$21.2K ฿678.5K

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

-51.19%

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

$22.3K ฿714.9K

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-33.80%

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

$69.9 ฿2,239

$162 JMD 25.7K

-56.89%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$22.01 JMD 3,483

-36.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$51.7 JMD 8,189

-65.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,327

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$13.22 JMD 2,092

-56.58%

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

$299 ฿9,587

$229 JMD 36.2K

30.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿480.9K

$2,526 JMD 399.8K

494.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,756

$26.37 JMD 4,174

107.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿844

$25.69 JMD 4,067

2.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,712

$70.2 JMD 11.1K

20.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,234

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

-7.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$752 JMD 119.0K

-43.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,713

$310 JMD 49.1K

-22.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$1,904 JMD 301.3K

-57.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$907 JMD 143.6K

-45.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$743 JMD 117.5K

-13.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $752 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 16% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $34 in Saint Andrew Parish. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $323 – 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 27% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,667 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $34.00 in Saint Andrew Parish. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $872, than in Saint Andrew Parish at $1,112. 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 $872 versus $1,112 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.