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 $859 in Spanish Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,446 in Spanish Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,032 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$7.69 JMD 1,210

-73.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$62.6 JMD 9,846

-70.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$8.56 JMD 1,347

-8.18%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$4.40 JMD 692

-53.86%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$1.31 JMD 206

-38.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.70 JMD 110

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.43 JMD 382

-11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.11 JMD 488

18.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.92 JMD 301

-9.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$2.57 JMD 404

-38.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$0.43 JMD 67.2

179.07%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$3.04 JMD 479

-35.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$3.10 JMD 487

423.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$1.91 JMD 300

60.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$2.74 JMD 431

294.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$2.18 JMD 343

27.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.89 JMD 298

-38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.53 JMD 241

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.83 JMD 288

-13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$2.12 JMD 333

-34.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.94 JMD 305

-40.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.99 JMD 471

-77.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.90 JMD 142

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$8.65 JMD 1,361

-46.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$11.61 JMD 1,825

53.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.55 JMD 244

15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.48 JMD 389

34.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$1.08 JMD 169

30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$3.15 JMD 495

-57.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$6.35 JMD 999

27.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.22 JMD 193

0.82%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

-50.15%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

-33.67%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$166 JMD 26.2K

-57.15%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$22.08 JMD 3,473

-36.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$51.1 JMD 8,033

-64.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$12.93 JMD 2,034

-55.76%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$230 JMD 36.2K

33.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$2,516 JMD 395.8K

483.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$26.46 JMD 4,161

110.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$25.26 JMD 3,973

3.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$77.1 JMD 12.1K

-7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$159 JMD 25.0K

165.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$123 JMD 19.3K

97.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$633 JMD 99.6K

25.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$380 JMD 59.8K

33.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,183 JMD 186.0K

-49.68%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $159 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 99% 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 $63.0 in Spanish Town. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $192 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,289 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 $63.0 in Spanish Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% 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 $859 in Spanish Town, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $859 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.