Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Antonio, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,367 in San Antonio, TX, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in San Antonio, TX
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San Antonio, TX Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

San Antonio, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,367

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in San Antonio, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in San Antonio, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,367 in San Antonio, TX, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
San Antonio, TX $2,367

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,599 in San Antonio, TX, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
San Antonio, TX $3,599

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,831 in San Antonio, TX, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
San Antonio, TX $4,831

Chiang Mai is about 60% cheaper than San Antonio, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while San Antonio, TX is 74% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$18.06 $18.06

-87.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$71.0 $71.0

-73.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$10.60 $10.60

-47.64%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$5.17 $5.17

-67.70%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$2.65 $2.65

-75.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$1.74 $1.74

-82.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$5.40 $5.40

-56.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$5.84 $5.84

-37.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.14 $1.14

71.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$3.31 $3.31

-56.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$4.31 $4.31

-69.14%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.68 $3.68

-38.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$12.28 $12.28

33.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$11.79 $11.79

-76.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$17.72 $17.72

-47.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$4.69 $4.69

-49.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.55 $1.55

-37.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$4.47 $4.47

-64.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$3.58 $3.58

-58.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$2.48 $2.48

-48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$3.04 $3.04

-63.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$1.92 $1.92

-63.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$2.26 $2.26

-78.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$10.02 $10.02

-58.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$14.75 $14.75

18.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.69 $2.69

-40.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.50 $3.50

-20.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$1.32 $1.32

-34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$38.02 $38.02

42.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$3.43 $3.43

-66.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$1.77 $1.77

-70.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$24.31 $24.31

-90.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.97 $0.97

49.48%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$36.9K $36.9K

-42.93%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

5.84%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$213 $213

-70.85%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$73.4 $73.4

-83.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$78.5 $78.5

-74.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$35.23 $35.23

5.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$20.42 $20.42

-81.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$14.60 $14.60

-55.55%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$1,283 $1,283

-42.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$19.2K $19.2K

-22.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$51.3 $51.3

4.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$49.62 $49.62

-50.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$136 $136

-32.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$150 $150

-52.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,437 $1,437

-66.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$1,021 $1,021

-69.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$2,887 $2,887

-65.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,897 $1,897

-66.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$4,357 $4,357

-45.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,761 $1,761

-9.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$3,901 $3,901

-84.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.44

-13.51%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for San Antonio, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

San Antonio, TX

$1K 43.1% 230% $712

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

San Antonio, TX

$392 16.6% 67.4% $158

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

San Antonio, TX

$174 7.4% 60.3% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

San Antonio, TX

$365 15.4% 287% $271

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

San Antonio, TX

$295 12.5% 280% $217

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

San Antonio, TX

$56 2.4% 9.4% $5.8

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

San Antonio, TX

$64 2.7% 28.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,437 in San Antonio, TX. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in San Antonio, TX are about 6.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $71 in San Antonio, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $392 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇸 San Antonio, TX

🕒 Local time

19:02 7:02 PM

07:02 7:02 AM

12 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,434,625

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai San Antonio, TX 14,340 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
San Antonio, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 San Antonio, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Antonio, TX costs about 153% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,551 in San Antonio, TX. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,437 in San Antonio, TX.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,283 in San Antonio, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% more in San Antonio, TX, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $2,367 in San Antonio, TX. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Antonio, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.