Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Juan del Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Juan del Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,061 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,748 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,434 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than San Juan del Sur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and San Juan del Sur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, San Juan del Sur 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$4.25 NIO 156

-53.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$33.73 NIO 1,235

-45.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.54 NIO 203

35.02%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.43 NIO 88.8

-16.87%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.79 NIO 28.88

7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.67 NIO 24.45

-46.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.33 NIO 48.78

60.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.03 NIO 74.5

76.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.26 NIO 46.32

30.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.53 NIO 56.0

2.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.17 NIO 42.74

1.71%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.87 NIO 68.3

3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.78 NIO 285

108.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.48 NIO 237

-53.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.15 NIO 298

34.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$4.00 NIO 146

-32.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.83 NIO 30.35

40.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.83 NIO 67.2

-7.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.17 NIO 79.4

-26.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$3.22 NIO 118

-57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.16 NIO 79.2

-44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.07 NIO 39.10

-37.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.06 NIO 38.70

-47.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.71 NIO 99.4

71.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$9.99 NIO 366

76.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.42 NIO 51.9

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.21 NIO 80.8

49.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.47 NIO 53.8

-7.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.85 NIO 251

19.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.24 NIO 45.37

-1.61%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$22.5K NIO 825.0K

-5.20%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$26.2K NIO 958.4K

-13.90%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$42.79 NIO 1,567

65.16%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$10.45 NIO 383

34.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$36.21 NIO 1,326

-51.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$30.32 NIO 1,111

39.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$8.10 NIO 297

-26.91%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$123 NIO 4,499

151.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$6,022 NIO 220.5K

147.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$75.9 NIO 2,780

-26.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$72.9 NIO 2,668

-64.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$134 NIO 4,914

-38.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$108 NIO 3,951

-34.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$464 NIO 17.0K

-6.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$402 NIO 14.7K

-40.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$962 NIO 35.2K

-14.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$961 NIO 35.2K

-46.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$354 NIO 13.0K

63.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

-51.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Juan del Sur: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $464 in San Juan del Sur. 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 64% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in San Juan del Sur. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in San Juan del Sur – so San Juan del Sur wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Juan del Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan del Sur costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,592 in San Juan del Sur. 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 San Juan del Sur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in San Juan del Sur – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,061 in San Juan del Sur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,061 in San Juan del Sur. 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 Juan del Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.