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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $775 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,306 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,836 in Tacarigua, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Tacarigua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tacarigua are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Tacarigua 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$10.21 TTD 68.7

-79.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$59.8 TTD 402

-67.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.95 TTD 53.5

-28.68%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.77 TTD 25.35

-51.99%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.00 TTD 6.70

-23.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.72 TTD 4.85

-51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.89 TTD 12.72

16.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.57 TTD 17.29

47.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.99 TTD 13.37

3.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.24 TTD 15.07

-32.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.90 TTD 19.49

-51.72%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.78 TTD 25.40

-40.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$6.73 TTD 45.27

140.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$9.96 TTD 67.0

-70.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.75 TTD 58.9

7.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$5.35 TTD 35.98

-49.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.47 TTD 16.63

-55.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$3.77 TTD 25.39

-57.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.37 TTD 29.39

-66.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.76 TTD 5.12

68.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.70 TTD 4.74

51.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.43 TTD 9.60

-49.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.17 TTD 7.87

-54.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$5.75 TTD 38.69

-26.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$17.39 TTD 117

5.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.48 TTD 9.93

10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.97 TTD 19.98

-2.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.85 TTD 5.70

37.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.84 TTD 5.65

-30.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$14.61 TTD 98.3

-83.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.16 TTD 7.79

25.00%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$37.2K TTD 250.4K

-43.54%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$41.0K TTD 275.7K

-35.51%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$44.43 TTD 299

43.26%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$41.99 TTD 283

-69.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$45.83 TTD 308

-55.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$9.03 TTD 60.8

-27.13%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$396 TTD 2,664

98.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$10.8K TTD 72.4K

36.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$54.6 TTD 368

0.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$37.54 TTD 253

-34.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$89.7 TTD 604

4.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$89.4 TTD 601

-17.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.75

-3.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Tacarigua: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $60.0 in Tacarigua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $315 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Tacarigua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Tacarigua, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,163 in Tacarigua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $60.0 in Tacarigua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tacarigua, where all-in costs run around $775, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Tacarigua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tacarigua costs $775 versus $932 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 Tacarigua. 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.