Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Salvador

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,629 in San Salvador, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 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
78

Cost of Living Index in San Salvador
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San Salvador Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

San Salvador

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,629

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in San Salvador

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 Salvador actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,629 in San Salvador, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
San Salvador $1,629

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,449 in San Salvador, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
San Salvador $2,449

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,269 in San Salvador, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
San Salvador $3,269

Chiang Mai is about 43% cheaper than San Salvador, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while San Salvador is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$6.58 $6.58

-65.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$44.57 $44.57

-57.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$7.06 $7.06

-21.39%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$3.62 $3.62

-53.87%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$1.13 $1.13

-43.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.79 $0.79

-60.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.97 $1.97

19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.50 $3.50

4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.79 $1.79

8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$2.91 $2.91

-50.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$1.37 $1.37

-2.92%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.99 $2.99

-23.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$7.81 $7.81

110.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$6.92 $6.92

-59.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$10.07 $10.07

-7.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$4.93 $4.93

-52.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.42 $1.42

-31.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.54 $2.54

-37.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$3.54 $3.54

-57.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$2.98 $2.98

-57.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$3.26 $3.26

-66.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.95 $0.95

-25.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.93 $0.93

-47.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.05 $4.05

2.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$11.77 $11.77

48.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.28 $2.28

-29.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.92 $2.92

-4.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.31 $0.31

180.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$14.77 $14.77

266.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$5.97 $5.97

-80.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$3.04 $3.04

-82.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$19.88 $19.88

-87.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.25 $1.25

16.00%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$25.5K $25.5K

-17.31%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.83%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$129 $129

-51.75%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$20.87 $20.87

-41.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$42.10 $42.10

-52.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$29.34 $29.34

27.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$21.36 $21.36

-82.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.13 $5.13

26.51%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$161 $161

358.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$4,729 $4,729

212.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$66.4 $66.4

-19.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$47.50 $47.50

-48.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$120 $120

-23.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$117 $117

-38.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$893 $893

-45.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$776 $776

-60.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$1,792 $1,792

-43.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,366 $1,366

-53.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,817 $2,817

-16.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,839 $1,839

-13.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$376 $376

56.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.5

-34.47%

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 Salvador: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

San Salvador

$776 47.7% 151% $467

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

San Salvador

$285 17.5% 21.6% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

San Salvador

$158 9.7% 45.4% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

San Salvador

$192 11.8% 103% $97

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

San Salvador

$142 8.7% 82.7% $64

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

San Salvador

$37 2.3% 39.4% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

San Salvador

$40 2.4% 21.2% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $893 in San Salvador. 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 57% 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 $19 in Chiang Mai versus $45 in San Salvador. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $285 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇻 San Salvador

🕒 Local time

17:09 5:09 PM

04:09 4:09 AM

13 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

316,090 Capital

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai San Salvador 16,290 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
San Salvador

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 Salvador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Salvador costs about 74% 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 $2,444 in San Salvador. 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 $893 in San Salvador.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $161 in San Salvador. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in San Salvador, 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 $1,629 in San Salvador. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,629 in San Salvador. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.