Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Spanish Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Spanish Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $861 in Spanish Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,433 in Spanish Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,005 in Spanish Town, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Spanish Town, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Spanish Town are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Spanish Town 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$7.35 JMD 1,158

-73.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$62.3 JMD 9,809

-69.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$8.78 JMD 1,383

-9.79%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$4.47 JMD 704

-57.27%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$1.30 JMD 205

-35.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.75 JMD 118

-53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$2.57 JMD 406

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.11 JMD 490

22.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.85 JMD 291

-11.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$2.67 JMD 421

-39.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$0.45 JMD 71.1

162.22%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$3.22 JMD 507

-37.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$3.19 JMD 503

398.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$1.99 JMD 314

51.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$2.79 JMD 439

286.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$2.24 JMD 353

16.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.87 JMD 294

-34.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.53 JMD 242

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$1.94 JMD 305

-18.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$2.12 JMD 333

-37.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$1.99 JMD 314

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$3.02 JMD 476

-77.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.91 JMD 144

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$8.91 JMD 1,404

-49.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$11.36 JMD 1,789

60.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.54 JMD 242

18.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.47 JMD 388

30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$1.11 JMD 175

21.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$3.27 JMD 514

-58.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$6.28 JMD 988

31.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.28 JMD 202

-0.78%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

-50.43%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

-33.78%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$161 JMD 25.3K

-56.41%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$22.23 JMD 3,501

-38.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$50.1 JMD 7,882

-64.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$13.11 JMD 2,064

-55.91%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$225 JMD 35.4K

36.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$2,457 JMD 386.9K

503.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$25.73 JMD 4,052

111.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$25.06 JMD 3,947

4.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$70.5 JMD 11.1K

19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$77.7 JMD 12.2K

-10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$156 JMD 24.5K

171.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$128 JMD 20.1K

86.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$638 JMD 100.5K

29.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$373 JMD 58.8K

38.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$1,166 JMD 183.7K

-45.54%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $156 in Spanish Town. 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 84% higher in Spanish Town, 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 $62.0 in Spanish Town. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Spanish Town – so Spanish Town 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 Spanish Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Spanish Town costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,292 in Spanish Town. 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. 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 $62.0 in Spanish Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Spanish Town – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $861 in Spanish Town, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $861 in Spanish Town. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Spanish Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.