Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Siguatepeque Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Siguatepeque

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $580 in Siguatepeque, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $958 in Siguatepeque, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,336 in Siguatepeque, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than Siguatepeque, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Siguatepeque are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Siguatepeque 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.9

$5.71 HNL 152

-65.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿618

$38.21 HNL 1,019

-50.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$7.58 HNL 202

2.24%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.1

$2.30 HNL 61.2

-16.52%

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

$0.79 ฿26.03

$1.01 HNL 26.94

-21.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.72

$1.16 HNL 31.02

-68.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.8

$1.14 HNL 30.25

93.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$2.77 HNL 73.7

32.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.3

$1.45 HNL 38.78

13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.6

$2.06 HNL 54.9

-20.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.22

$1.27 HNL 33.89

-6.30%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.7

$2.06 HNL 54.9

-2.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿525

$6.07 HNL 162

163.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.4

$3.79 HNL 101

-20.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$7.74 HNL 206

40.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$2.91 HNL 77.5

-5.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.77

$1.50 HNL 40.10

-21.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$1.51 HNL 40.36

8.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.56 HNL 41.67

-2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.52

$1.66 HNL 44.30

-16.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.19

$1.37 HNL 36.49

-13.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.08

$0.90 HNL 23.93

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.30

$1.71 HNL 45.54

-67.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿150

$2.43 HNL 64.7

88.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿544

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.33 HNL 35.54

37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.86 HNL 49.61

72.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.57

$4.34 HNL 116

-68.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.29

$1.07 HNL 28.49

14.95%

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

$21.6K ฿710.8K

$19.3K HNL 514.6K

12.01%

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

$22.5K ฿741.1K

$19.5K HNL 520.5K

15.46%

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

$70.5 ฿2,319

$81.3 HNL 2,166

-13.18%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$9.22 HNL 246

48.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$40.47 HNL 1,079

-56.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,359

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$5.75 HNL 153

0.35%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$250 HNL 6,677

22.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,834

$46.72 HNL 1,245

19.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿861

$35.14 HNL 937

-25.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,819

$108 HNL 2,866

-20.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,375

$103 HNL 2,735

-29.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,845

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Siguatepeque: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Siguatepeque. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $189 in Siguatepeque – so Siguatepeque 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 Siguatepeque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than Siguatepeque, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $870 in Siguatepeque. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Siguatepeque. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $580 in Siguatepeque, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Siguatepeque costs $580 versus $869 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 Siguatepeque. 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.