Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Texistepeque

For one person, living is cheaper in Texistepeque: $207 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Texistepeque

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Texistepeque

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Texistepeque, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Texistepeque $207

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $335 in Texistepeque, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Texistepeque $335

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $462 in Texistepeque, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Texistepeque $462

Chiang Mai costs about 351% more than Texistepeque, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Texistepeque are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Texistepeque 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.49 $1.49

30.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.84 $1.84

-21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$2.11 $2.11

-36.97%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.76 $1.76

29.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$2.58 $2.58

537.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$4.29 $4.29

-35.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$6.78 $6.78

37.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.87 $1.87

25.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$2.17 $2.17

-55.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.06 $2.06

-22.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$2.47 $2.47

-39.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.93 $1.93

-33.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.76 $1.76

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.98 $0.98

-27.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$1.04 $1.04

-52.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$11.56 $11.56

51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.21 $2.21

-27.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.06 $3.06

-9.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Texistepeque: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Texistepeque

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Texistepeque

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Texistepeque

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Texistepeque

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Texistepeque

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Texistepeque

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Texistepeque

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇻 Texistepeque

🕒 Local time

05:13 5:13 AM

16:13 4:13 PM

13 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

2,401

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Texistepeque 16,240 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Texistepeque

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 Texistepeque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 351% more than Texistepeque, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 $311 in Texistepeque. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $207 in Texistepeque. That makes Texistepeque about 78% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Texistepeque, where all-in costs run around $207, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Texistepeque it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $207 in Texistepeque to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.