Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Bernardo Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Bernardo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,131 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,755 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,379 in San Bernardo, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 23% cheaper than San Bernardo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and San Bernardo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, San Bernardo 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$10.83 CLP 9,733

-81.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$53.5 CLP 48.1K

-64.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.17 CLP 7,346

-5.14%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.24 CLP 2,916

-40.74%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.94 CLP 846

-15.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.31 CLP 1,174

-72.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.27 CLP 2,936

-32.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.20 CLP 3,775

-12.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.12 CLP 1,006

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.57 CLP 1,415

3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.18 CLP 1,957

-45.41%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$4.01 CLP 3,601

-50.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.54 CLP 9,469

51.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.64 CLP 5,970

-54.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.94 CLP 9,829

-0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.07 CLP 1,863

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.55 CLP 1,391

-23.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.10 CLP 1,889

-21.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.94 CLP 1,747

-21.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.96 CLP 1,762

-29.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.61 CLP 1,451

-26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.29 CLP 1,161

-45.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.18 CLP 1,058

-52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.51 CLP 3,155

30.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.58 CLP 5,917

151.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.56 CLP 1,404

17.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.49 CLP 2,235

28.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.62 CLP 560

41.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.50 CLP 450

172.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.48 CLP 1,330

-9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$11.54 CLP 10.4K

-32.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.43 CLP 1,286

-13.99%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$19.9K CLP 17.9M

8.80%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$22.8K CLP 20.5M

-1.15%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$132 CLP 118.7K

-46.58%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$13.72 CLP 12.3K

-0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$22.30 CLP 20.0K

-21.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$38.30 CLP 34.4K

7.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$21.44 CLP 19.3K

-67.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.56 CLP 5,891

-12.04%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$434 CLP 390.0K

-29.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$8,501 CLP 7.6M

71.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$54.7 CLP 49.1K

2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$33.30 CLP 29.9K

-21.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$75.9 CLP 68.2K

13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$83.5 CLP 75.0K

-13.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$475 CLP 427.0K

-9.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$378 CLP 339.6K

-36.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$890 CLP 799.8K

-8.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$592 CLP 531.6K

-13.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,952 CLP 1.8M

1.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,428 CLP 1.3M

3.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,367 CLP 1.2M

-54.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

-3.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $475 in San Bernardo. 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 121% higher in San Bernardo, 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 $53.0 in San Bernardo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $241 – 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 San Bernardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Bernardo costs about 30% 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 $1,697 in San Bernardo. 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 $53.0 in San Bernardo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in San Bernardo, 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 San Bernardo at $1,131. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Bernardo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,131 in San Bernardo. 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, San Bernardo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.