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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $757 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,317 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,878 in San Juan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and San Juan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, San Juan 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$10.40 TTD 69.8

-79.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$59.4 TTD 399

-66.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$7.88 TTD 52.9

-25.76%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$3.82 TTD 25.63

-53.93%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.21 TTD 8.15

-38.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.78 TTD 5.21

-57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.27 TTD 15.27

8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.91 TTD 19.52

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.99 TTD 13.34

-4.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$2.29 TTD 15.38

-27.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$2.89 TTD 19.39

-53.29%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$3.91 TTD 26.28

-45.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$6.77 TTD 45.46

134.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$10.05 TTD 67.5

-71.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$8.69 TTD 58.4

21.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$5.36 TTD 35.96

-55.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$2.58 TTD 17.29

-58.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$3.63 TTD 24.36

-58.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$4.40 TTD 29.55

-65.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$0.71 TTD 4.77

80.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$0.72 TTD 4.81

52.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$1.44 TTD 9.68

-52.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$1.16 TTD 7.81

-57.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.62 TTD 37.74

-24.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$17.67 TTD 119

-5.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.56 TTD 10.47

6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.95 TTD 19.80

-4.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$0.92 TTD 6.19

30.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$0.85 TTD 5.71

-36.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$14.95 TTD 100

-84.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.16 TTD 7.81

23.28%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$36.4K TTD 244.6K

-42.14%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$41.9K TTD 281.4K

-35.27%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$44.12 TTD 296

46.74%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$42.10 TTD 283

-68.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$46.00 TTD 309

-57.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$8.76 TTD 58.8

-24.43%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$393 TTD 2,637

105.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$10.4K TTD 69.8K

45.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$54.7 TTD 367

0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$37.55 TTD 252

-32.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$87.5 TTD 587

5.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$87.9 TTD 590

-15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.75

-3.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for San Juan: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $59.0 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $318 – 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than San Juan, 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,135 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $59.0 in San Juan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan, where all-in costs run around $757, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In San Juan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan costs $757 versus $920 in Chiang Mai. 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 San Juan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.