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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 41.5% cheaper than Santa Cruz without rent, and 43.6% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 35.3% cheaper than Santa Cruz without rent, and 43.3% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ฿65.3

$11.11 ₡5,562

-81.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 ฿608

$58.7 ₡29.4K

-68.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ฿248

$9.68 ₡4,844

-20.76%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ฿64.2

$3.94 ₡1,972

-49.75%

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

$0.82 ฿26.64

$2.07 ₡1,036

-60.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.58

$1.64 ₡823

-79.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ฿68.6

$3.02 ₡1,510

-29.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿121

$4.58 ₡2,292

-18.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.99 ₡998

-17.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿50.9

$2.85 ₡1,427

-44.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.62

$2.21 ₡1,107

-46.15%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿64.1

$2.95 ₡1,475

-32.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 ฿517

$9.69 ₡4,850

65.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿101

$9.05 ₡4,531

-65.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿361

$13.55 ₡6,783

-17.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿89.2

$4.6 ₡2,301

-40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.5

$0.98 ₡489

24.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿55.4

$4.38 ₡2,194

-60.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.2

$3.58 ₡1,791

-56.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.21

$3.55 ₡1,777

-62.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.23

$3.09 ₡1,546

-60.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.2

$1 ₡502

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.05

$2.8 ₡1,403

-81.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 ฿153

$5.22 ₡2,615

-9.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ฿595

$19.14 ₡9,581

-3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿57.9

$2.5 ₡1,250

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿104

$2.94 ₡1,469

9.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.44

$1.03 ₡517

-8.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.9 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.08

$1.81 ₡909

-21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.53

$1.78 ₡889

-24.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 ฿254

$7.75 ₡3,879

1.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.4

$1.47 ₡734

-14.97%

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

$21.2K ฿684.9K

$38K ₡19M

-44.25%

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

$21.8K ฿706.8K

$33.2K ₡16.6M

-34.17%

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

$70.6 ฿2,285

$95.2 ₡47.7K

-25.84%

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

$13.72 ฿444

$26.25 ₡13.1K

-47.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 ฿568

$53.6 ₡26.8K

-67.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,347

$57.9 ₡29K

-28.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.9 ฿223

$23.63 ₡11.8K

-70.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.8 ฿188

$5.9 ₡2,955

-1.69%

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

$308 ฿9,963

$575 ₡288K

-46.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿475.8K

$12.6K ₡6.3M

16.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,793

$63.1 ₡31.6K

-12.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.4 ฿854

$52.1 ₡26.1K

-49.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ฿2,755

$127 ₡63.3K

-32.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,323

$106 ₡52.8K

-31.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ฿14K

$763 ₡381.8K

-43.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,610

$586 ₡293.3K

-59.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ฿26.6K

$1,494 ₡748K

-45.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$978 ₡489.7K

-49.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,180 ฿70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 ฿49.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ฿22.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

-50.84%

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 Cruz: October 27, 2025

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