Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Santa Teresa

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,530 in Santa Teresa, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Santa Teresa
Learn more

Santa Teresa Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Santa Teresa

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,530

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,530 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Santa Teresa $1,530

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,295 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Santa Teresa $2,295

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,061 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Santa Teresa $3,061

Chiang Mai is about 39% cheaper than Santa Teresa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Santa Teresa is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$9.90 ₡4,450

-78.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$42.31 ₡19.0K

-55.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$9.71 ₡4,365

-42.33%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$3.70 ₡1,664

-55.14%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$2.04 ₡915

-68.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$1.63 ₡733

-81.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$3.03 ₡1,363

-23.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$4.55 ₡2,044

-19.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.05 ₡923

-1.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$2.82 ₡1,267

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$2.16 ₡970

-35.65%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$2.98 ₡1,341

-20.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$10.01 ₡4,500

65.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$8.97 ₡4,034

-70.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$13.60 ₡6,114

-33.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$4.56 ₡2,048

-47.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$1.44 ₡649

-27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$4.12 ₡1,852

-59.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$3.07 ₡1,382

-49.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$3.39 ₡1,522

-63.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$2.58 ₡1,159

-57.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$1.01 ₡454

-24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$2.85 ₡1,279

-82.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$5.09 ₡2,287

-19.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$13.79 ₡6,198

30.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$2.36 ₡1,060

-31.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$2.62 ₡1,177

7.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$0.96 ₡432

-3.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$1.84 ₡828

-35.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$1.83 ₡824

-90.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$7.95 ₡3,573

-77.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$1.46 ₡658

0.68%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$38.4K ₡17.3M

-45.26%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$32.7K ₡14.7M

-18.99%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$84.9 ₡38.2K

-26.31%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$26.16 ₡11.8K

-55.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$50.4 ₡22.7K

-59.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$50.1 ₡22.5K

-24.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$23.66 ₡10.6K

-84.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$8.89 ₡3,995

-26.77%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$573 ₡257.3K

26.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$12.4K ₡5.6M

33.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$61.8 ₡27.8K

-13.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$51.2 ₡23.0K

-51.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$127 ₡57.3K

-29.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$107 ₡47.9K

-32.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$706 ₡317.6K

-31.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$592 ₡266.0K

-47.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$1,461 ₡656.5K

-27.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$955 ₡429.1K

-31.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.17

-45.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Teresa: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Santa Teresa

$592 38.7% 90.9% $282

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Santa Teresa

$346 22.6% 46.4% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Santa Teresa

$156 10.2% 44.2% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Santa Teresa

$161 10.6% 70.9% $67

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Santa Teresa

$192 12.5% 150% $115

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Santa Teresa

$15 * 1% 74.7% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Santa Teresa

$68 4.4% 33.3% $17

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $706 in Santa Teresa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $42 in Santa Teresa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $346 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇷 Santa Teresa

🕒 Local time

03:38 3:38 AM

14:38 2:38 PM

13 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

3,099

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Santa Teresa 16,820 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Santa Teresa

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 Teresa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Teresa costs about 64% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,295 in Santa Teresa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $706 in Santa Teresa.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $42 in Santa Teresa. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Santa Teresa, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,530 in Santa Teresa. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $935 versus $1,530 in Santa Teresa. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.