Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Pedro Sula Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Pedro Sula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,239 in San Pedro Sula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,872 in San Pedro Sula, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,506 in San Pedro Sula, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 30% cheaper than San Pedro Sula, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and San Pedro Sula are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, San Pedro Sula 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$7.73 HNL 207

-74.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$30.80 HNL 824

-40.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.59 HNL 230

-12.92%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.15 HNL 57.4

-6.05%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.34 HNL 35.70

-36.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.06 HNL 28.33

-66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.96 HNL 52.4

9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.33 HNL 88.9

7.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.49 HNL 39.73

10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.98 HNL 52.9

-20.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.51 HNL 40.27

-21.19%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.53 HNL 67.7

-23.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.12 HNL 244

77.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.04 HNL 162

-50.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.25 HNL 301

-2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$4.27 HNL 114

-36.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.57 HNL 41.90

-25.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$3.72 HNL 99.4

-54.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.01 HNL 53.8

-20.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.25 HNL 60.3

-38.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.61 HNL 69.9

-54.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.85 HNL 22.70

-21.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.62 HNL 43.43

-65.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.00 HNL 80.2

54.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$13.11 HNL 351

34.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.15 HNL 30.73

61.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.55 HNL 41.48

112.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.63 HNL 16.91

39.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$36.58 HNL 978

-47.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$3.66 HNL 97.7

-62.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.42 HNL 37.97

-5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.93 HNL 185

18.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.06 HNL 28.32

15.09%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$21.4K HNL 573.4K

-0.44%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$16.6K HNL 443.9K

35.70%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$133 HNL 3,557

-46.88%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$10.04 HNL 268

39.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$49.96 HNL 1,336

-64.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$38.74 HNL 1,036

8.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$20.93 HNL 560

-67.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.59 HNL 149

5.90%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$145 HNL 3,864

113.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,188 HNL 85.2K

366.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$52.1 HNL 1,394

6.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$37.66 HNL 1,007

-30.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$84.5 HNL 2,258

-1.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$94.0 HNL 2,513

-25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$552 HNL 14.8K

-21.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$417 HNL 11.2K

-42.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$890 HNL 23.8K

-7.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$720 HNL 19.2K

-28.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$999 HNL 26.7K

91.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$431 HNL 11.5K

240.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$594 HNL 15.9K

-2.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

-55.52%

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 Pedro Sula: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $552 in San Pedro Sula. 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 2% higher in San Pedro Sula, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in San Pedro Sula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $268 – 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 Pedro Sula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pedro Sula costs about 44% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,858 in San Pedro Sula. 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.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $145 in San Pedro Sula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in San Pedro Sula, 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 $861, than in San Pedro Sula at $1,239. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro Sula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,239 in San Pedro Sula. 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 Pedro Sula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.