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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 41.3% cheaper than Santa Barbara without rent, and 42.2% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 41.4% cheaper than Santa Barbara without rent, and 40.8% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ฿65.3

$11.03 ₡5,520

-81.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 ฿608

$58.7 ₡29.4K

-68.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ฿248

$10.07 ₡5,043

-23.83%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ฿64.2

$3.94 ₡1,971

-49.75%

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

$0.82 ฿26.64

$1.96 ₡984

-58.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.58

$1.57 ₡788

-78.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ฿68.6

$3.05 ₡1,526

-30.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿121

$4.8 ₡2,404

-22.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.98 ₡991

-17.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿50.9

$2.84 ₡1,423

-44.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.62

$2.12 ₡1,064

-43.87%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿64.1

$2.91 ₡1,454

-31.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 ฿517

$8.79 ₡4,400

81.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿101

$9.16 ₡4,585

-65.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿361

$13.92 ₡6,968

-19.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿89.2

$4.53 ₡2,266

-39.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.5

$1.31 ₡655

-6.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿55.4

$2.42 ₡1,212

-29.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.2

$3.59 ₡1,798

-56.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.21

$3.02 ₡1,511

-55.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.23

$2.92 ₡1,461

-58.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.2

$0.72 ₡359

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.05

$2.83 ₡1,415

-81.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 ฿153

$5.33 ₡2,667

-11.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ฿595

$12.09 ₡6,052

52.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿57.9

$2.46 ₡1,231

-27.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿104

$2.85 ₡1,428

12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.44

$1.01 ₡504

-6.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.9 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.08

$1.84 ₡922

-22.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.53

$0.95 ₡473

42.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 ฿254

$8.09 ₡4,050

-2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.4

$1.39 ₡695

-10.07%

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

$21.2K ฿684.9K

$37.1K ₡18.6M

-43.03%

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

$21.8K ฿706.8K

$32.9K ₡16.5M

-33.67%

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

$70.6 ฿2,285

$66.8 ₡33.5K

5.67%

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

$13.72 ฿444

$26.29 ₡13.2K

-47.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 ฿568

$60 ₡30K

-70.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,347

$56.5 ₡28.3K

-26.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.9 ฿223

$23.94 ₡12K

-71.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.8 ฿188

$9.15 ₡4,580

-36.61%

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

$308 ฿9,963

$572 ₡286.1K

-46.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿475.8K

$12.8K ₡6.4M

14.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,793

$62.5 ₡31.3K

-11.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.4 ฿854

$50.5 ₡25.3K

-47.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ฿2,755

$126 ₡63.1K

-32.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,323

$109 ₡54.3K

-33.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ฿14K

$752 ₡376.5K

-42.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,610

$585 ₡293K

-59.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ฿26.6K

$1,537 ₡769.3K

-46.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$980 ₡490.7K

-49.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,180 ฿70.6K

$1,666 ₡834.1K

30.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 ฿49.9K

$1,661 ₡831.4K

-7.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ฿22.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-44.44%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Santa Barbara: October 28, 2025

Similar cities

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

Bogota

🇨🇴 Colombia

Beijing (Pekin)

🇨🇳 China

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

Nairobi

🇰🇪 Kenya