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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,151 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,900 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,650 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% 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 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$7.61 JMD 1,197

-73.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$34.16 JMD 5,373

-44.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.24 JMD 981

24.20%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.90 JMD 299

1.05%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.96 JMD 152

-17.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.75 JMD 117

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.43 JMD 383

-9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.16 JMD 497

15.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$4.26 JMD 670

-61.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.03 JMD 162

58.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.29 JMD 202

-7.75%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.46 JMD 544

-42.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.96 JMD 1,723

45.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.29 JMD 989

-51.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.57 JMD 1,191

43.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$5.99 JMD 942

-53.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.09 JMD 487

-61.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$4.15 JMD 652

-60.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.90 JMD 456

-47.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.01 JMD 316

-31.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.02 JMD 318

-41.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$3.08 JMD 484

-77.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.50 JMD 236

-62.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$8.85 JMD 1,392

-48.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.46 JMD 1,802

44.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.77 JMD 436

-33.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.19 JMD 502

0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.11 JMD 175

22.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$3.15 JMD 496

-57.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.22 JMD 977

26.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.28 JMD 202

-3.91%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

-48.60%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

-33.84%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$165 JMD 25.9K

-57.16%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$21.80 JMD 3,429

-37.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$51.1 JMD 8,029

-65.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$13.05 JMD 2,052

-55.79%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$222 JMD 34.9K

38.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,473 JMD 389.0K

490.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$26.59 JMD 4,182

109.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$25.91 JMD 4,074

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$71.1 JMD 11.2K

20.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$747 JMD 117.4K

-42.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$309 JMD 48.6K

-22.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,880 JMD 295.7K

-56.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$884 JMD 139.0K

-42.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,760 JMD 434.1K

-28.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$724 JMD 113.8K

-14.49%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $747 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 17% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Saint Andrew Parish. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $322 – 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 32% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,726 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 $19.00 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 34% 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 $869, than in Saint Andrew Parish at $1,151. 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 $869 versus $1,151 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.