Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Santa Rita, Paraguay

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $970 in Santa Rita, rent and utilities included – about $410 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Santa Rita

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$970

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Santa Rita

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $970 in Santa Rita, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Santa Rita $970

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,448 in Santa Rita, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Santa Rita $1,448

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,927 in Santa Rita, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Santa Rita $1,927

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Santa Rita, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chiang Mai and Santa Rita are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Santa Rita 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.50 ₲20.9K

-36.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$34.81 ₲207.6K

-45.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.42 ₲20.4K

-51.17%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$0.85 ₲5,044

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$0.54 ₲3,218

-42.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.35 ₲8,058

171.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.16 ₲6,898

68.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$1.92 ₲11.5K

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

$1.18 ₲7,048

12.71%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$2.75 ₲16.4K

-17.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$7.94 ₲47.4K

107.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.27 ₲25.5K

-34.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$11.06 ₲66.0K

-15.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$5.17 ₲30.9K

-54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.39 ₲20.2K

-52.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$3.18 ₲18.9K

-52.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

$3.57 ₲21.3K

-64.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

$2.59 ₲15.4K

-57.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

$0.91 ₲5,447

-21.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$1.40 ₲8,368

-65.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$5.17 ₲30.8K

238.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.70 ₲16.1K

2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

$1.36 ₲8,091

-36.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$41.02 ₲244.7K

31.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

$4.41 ₲26.3K

-87.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$3.80 ₲22.7K

-36.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$1.41 ₲8,406

2.84%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

$9,540 ₲56.9M

120.74%

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

$110 ₲658.9K

-43.72%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$24.20 ₲144.3K

-49.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$39.39 ₲235.0K

-48.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$43.03 ₲256.7K

-13.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$25.76 ₲153.7K

-85.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$8.74 ₲52.2K

-25.74%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$79.0 ₲470.9K

832.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

$51.4 ₲306.7K

3.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$87.4 ₲521.2K

-71.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

$69.5 ₲414.5K

3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$341 ₲2.0M

41.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$264 ₲1.6M

17.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$427 ₲2.5M

135.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$347 ₲2.1M

82.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$513 ₲3.1M

14.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Santa Rita: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Santa Rita

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Santa Rita

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Santa Rita

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Santa Rita

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Santa Rita

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Santa Rita

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Santa Rita

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $341 in Santa Rita. 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 15% 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 $35 in Santa Rita. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $232 in Santa Rita – so Santa Rita wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇾 Santa Rita

🕒 Local time

19:30 7:30 PM

09:30 9:30 AM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

35,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.68 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.5 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 5,965 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.68 USD). 1 EUR = 6,656 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.5 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Santa Rita 17,240 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Santa Rita

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 Santa Rita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Rita costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. 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 $1,455 in Santa Rita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Rita, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $341 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $35 in Santa Rita. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Santa Rita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $970 in Santa Rita. 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 $970 in Santa Rita. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.