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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $749 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,121 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,493 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Santa Rosa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Santa Rosa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Santa Rosa 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.70 ₱165

-24.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$21.00 ₱1,286

-10.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.16 ₱193

148.73%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.25 ₱76.5

62.40%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.40 ₱24.67

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.26 ₱15.80

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.23 ₱75.1

73.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.43 ₱87.6

156.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.11 ₱129

-18.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.25 ₱76.4

25.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.08 ₱66.0

11.11%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.79 ₱110

10.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$7.09 ₱434

128.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.21 ₱258

-27.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.29 ₱446

48.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$4.35 ₱267

-36.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.85 ₱51.8

37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.02 ₱185

-43.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.63 ₱100

-2.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.87 ₱176

-51.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$4.08 ₱250

-71.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.62 ₱99.3

-59.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.00 ₱61.5

-48.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.18 ₱194

46.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$9.05 ₱554

96.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.59 ₱97.6

12.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.97 ₱120

69.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.28 ₱17.21

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.83 ₱50.6

69.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.22 ₱13.44

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.08 ₱128

289.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.09 ₱67.0

12.84%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.0K ₱1.6M

-17.62%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

8.40%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$54.2 ₱3,316

31.65%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$32.39 ₱1,983

-56.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$28.72 ₱1,758

-37.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$34.39 ₱2,105

18.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$4.51 ₱276

52.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.25 ₱444

-21.10%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$81.1 ₱4,962

280.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$2,738 ₱167.6K

436.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$31.70 ₱1,941

75.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$30.06 ₱1,840

-13.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$96.2 ₱5,890

-11.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$93.3 ₱5,709

-23.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$250 ₱15.3K

69.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$176 ₱10.8K

37.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$399 ₱24.4K

99.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$275 ₱16.9K

84.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,404 ₱147.2K

-20.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,036 ₱63.4K

41.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$149 ₱9,150

298.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

-38.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $250 in Santa Rosa. 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 298% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Santa Rosa. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $222 in Santa Rosa – so Santa Rosa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Rosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Santa Rosa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,123 in Santa Rosa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Rosa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $21.00 in Santa Rosa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $749 in Santa Rosa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Santa Rosa costs $749 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Rosa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.