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 21.6% cheaper than Santa Cruz without rent, and 1.7% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 29.9% cheaper than Santa Cruz without rent, and 8.1% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ฿65.3

$7.72 JMD 1,228

-73.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 ฿608

$63 JMD 10K

-70.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ฿248

$8.96 JMD 1,427

-14.40%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ฿64.2

$4.46 JMD 710

-55.61%

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

$0.82 ฿26.64

$1.32 JMD 210

-37.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.58

$0.75 JMD 119

-56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ฿68.6

$2.49 JMD 396

-14.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿121

$3.06 JMD 487

21.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$4.23 JMD 674

-61.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿50.9

$3.58 JMD 570

-56.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.62

$1.61 JMD 256

-26.09%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿64.1

$3.48 JMD 554

-43.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 ฿517

$11.08 JMD 1,764

44.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿101

$6.46 JMD 1,028

-51.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿361

$7.85 JMD 1,250

42.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿89.2

$5.83 JMD 929

-52.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.5

$3.12 JMD 496

-60.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿55.4

$4.11 JMD 654

-58.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.2

$3 JMD 478

-48.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.21

$2.04 JMD 325

-34.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.23

$1.92 JMD 305

-36.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.2

$3 JMD 477

-76.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.05

$1.49 JMD 238

-64.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 ฿153

$8.88 JMD 1,413

-46.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ฿595

$11.29 JMD 1,798

62.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿57.9

$2.75 JMD 437

-34.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿104

$3.06 JMD 488

4.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.9 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.08

$1.11 JMD 177

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.53

$3.11 JMD 494

-56.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 ฿254

$6.33 JMD 1,007

24.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.4

$1.23 JMD 195

1.63%

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

$21.2K ฿684.9K

$43.5K JMD 6.9M

-51.32%

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

$21.8K ฿706.8K

$34K JMD 5.4M

-35.83%

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

$70.6 ฿2,285

$164 JMD 26.1K

-56.87%

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

$13.72 ฿444

$22.27 JMD 3,546

-38.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 ฿568

$50.6 JMD 8,062

-65.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,347

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.9 ฿223

Cinema Ticket

$5.8 ฿188

$13.35 JMD 2,126

-56.55%

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

$308 ฿9,963

$230 JMD 36.6K

34.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿475.8K

$2,493 JMD 396.8K

489.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,793

$25.93 JMD 4,128

113.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.4 ฿854

$25.56 JMD 4,068

3.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ฿2,755

$72.1 JMD 11.5K

18.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,323

$77.2 JMD 12.3K

-7.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ฿14K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,610

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

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

$396 JMD 63K

77.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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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