Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Saint John's Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Saint John's

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,710 in Saint John's, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,733 in Saint John's, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,757 in Saint John's, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 49% cheaper than Saint John's, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Saint John's is 27% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$14.01 EC$37.84

-85.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$81.9 EC$221

-77.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$11.32 EC$30.56

-31.54%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.05 EC$10.93

-52.59%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$2.05 EC$5.53

-61.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.98 EC$2.63

-63.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.90 EC$5.13

16.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.54 EC$12.27

-19.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$2.17 EC$5.86

-23.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.79 EC$7.54

-41.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.79 EC$4.85

-33.52%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$5.31 EC$14.35

-62.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.98 EC$21.55

100.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$8.31 EC$22.44

-63.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$6.62 EC$17.86

-58.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.50 EC$6.75

-52.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$8.33 EC$22.49

-80.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$8.12 EC$21.93

-81.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.89 EC$7.79

-52.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.91 EC$7.86

-59.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.54 EC$6.85

-72.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.83 EC$4.93

-69.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$9.24 EC$24.94

79.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.70 EC$7.28

-32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.67 EC$9.91

-12.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.03 EC$2.79

-14.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$5.65 EC$15.26

-75.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$5.73 EC$15.46

-76.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$20.20 EC$54.6

-61.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.74 EC$4.71

-29.31%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$23.3K EC$63.0K

-7.33%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$20.8K EC$56.0K

8.63%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$129 EC$348

-45.29%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$39.94 EC$108

-65.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$72.9 EC$197

-76.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$63.7 EC$172

-35.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$37.27 EC$101

-81.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.22 EC$16.78

-7.23%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,851 EC$4,997

689.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$73.4 EC$198

16.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$1,126 EC$3,039

-61.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$754 EC$2,036

-68.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,639 EC$4,425

-50.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,498 EC$4,046

-65.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,381 EC$3,729

-55.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

-9.09%

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 John's: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,126 in Saint John's. 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 123% higher in Saint John's, 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 $82.0 in Saint John's. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $351 – 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 John's: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John's costs about 97% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,565 in Saint John's. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $869 in Chiang Mai and $1,710 in Saint John's. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Saint John's, 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 John's at $1,710. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John's it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,710 in Saint John's. 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 John's makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.