Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Santa Ana Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Santa Ana

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 9.8% cheaper than Santa Ana without rent, and 7.5% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 10% cheaper than Santa Ana without rent, and 7.5% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ฿62.0

$2.44 $2.44

-19.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.68 ฿587

$18.17 $18.17

2.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿249

$4.94 $4.94

60.32%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿63.7

$2.03 $2.03

-0.49%

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

$0.84 ฿26.45

$0.69 $0.69

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.07

$0.57 $0.57

-38.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿69.9

$1.95 $1.95

13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿113

$2.68 $2.68

33.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ฿52.4

$1.85 $1.85

-9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.1

$1.95 $1.95

-16.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿37.83

$1.55 $1.55

-22.58%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿60.8

$2.78 $2.78

-30.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.00 ฿503

$6.97 $6.97

129.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ฿99.2

$6.53 $6.53

-51.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 ฿344

$10.93 $10.93

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ฿83.8

$3.27 $3.27

-18.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿36.99

$1.64 $1.64

-28.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿51.5

$2.60 $2.60

-36.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿49.83

$2.64 $2.64

-39.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿41.64

$2.18 $2.18

-39.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿37.49

$2.13 $2.13

-44.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.20

$0.94 $0.94

-24.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿17.75

$1.02 $1.02

-45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿146

$4.07 $4.07

14.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.96 ฿596

$8.87 $8.87

113.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿55.7

$1.69 $1.69

4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿101

$2.53 $2.53

26.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.32

$0.31 $0.31

190.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.24 ฿605

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿42.78

$5.57 $5.57

-75.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿42.37

$2.97 $2.97

-54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.15 ฿256

$19.61 $19.61

-58.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿38.43

$0.95 $0.95

28.42%

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

$21.4K ฿671.8K

$22.6K $22.6K

-5.57%

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

$21.7K ฿683.8K

$27.7K $27.7K

-21.40%

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

$70.3 ฿2,210

$39.28 $39.28

78.97%

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

$13.91 ฿437

$19.14 $19.14

-27.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿566

$39.05 $39.05

-53.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 ฿1,314

$34.65 $34.65

20.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿180

$5.10 $5.10

12.16%

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

$308 ฿9,693

$146 $146

111.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿465.7K

$6,036 $6,036

145.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,756

$67.3 $67.3

-17.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.71 ฿840

$43.26 $43.26

-38.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,658

$117 $117

-28.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 ฿2,227

$107 $107

-33.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 ฿13.5K

$304 $304

41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,439

$148 $148

60.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿25.5K

$506 $506

60.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿15.7K

$300 $300

66.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 ฿69.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,600 ฿50.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$684 ฿21.5K

$456 $456

50.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

-41.72%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: January 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Ana: January 12, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Similar cities

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

Minsk

🇧🇾 Belarus

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

Jakarta

🇮🇩 Indonesia

Curitiba

🇧🇷 Brazil

Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

Brasilia

🇧🇷 Brazil