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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $586 in Villanueva, rent included.

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

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,330 in Villanueva, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Villanueva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Villanueva are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Villanueva 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.9

$5.91 HNL 158

-66.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿618

$36.96 HNL 985

-49.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$7.45 HNL 199

4.03%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.1

$2.33 HNL 62.1

-17.60%

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

$0.79 ฿26.03

$1.03 HNL 27.42

-23.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.72

$1.12 HNL 29.87

-67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.8

$1.17 HNL 31.16

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$2.63 HNL 70.1

39.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.3

$1.38 HNL 36.81

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.6

$2.06 HNL 55.0

-20.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.22

$1.21 HNL 32.38

-1.65%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.7

$2.12 HNL 56.6

-5.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿525

$6.19 HNL 165

158.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.4

$3.68 HNL 98.2

-17.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$8.05 HNL 214

34.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$2.99 HNL 79.7

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.77

$1.52 HNL 40.42

-22.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$1.49 HNL 39.76

10.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.58 HNL 42.18

-3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.52

$1.61 HNL 42.80

-14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.19

$1.34 HNL 35.72

-11.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.08

$0.90 HNL 23.93

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.30

$1.72 HNL 45.75

-67.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿150

$2.45 HNL 65.3

86.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿544

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.28 HNL 34.25

42.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.86 HNL 49.47

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

$4.32 HNL 115

-68.52%

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 28.42

14.95%

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

$21.6K ฿710.8K

$19.4K HNL 516.3K

11.62%

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

$22.5K ฿741.1K

$19.0K HNL 507.5K

18.42%

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

$70.5 ฿2,319

$80.9 HNL 2,157

-12.85%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$8.82 HNL 235

55.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$40.50 HNL 1,080

-56.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,359

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$5.60 HNL 149

3.04%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$253 HNL 6,757

21.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,834

$45.33 HNL 1,208

23.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿861

$35.17 HNL 937

-25.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,819

$110 HNL 2,935

-22.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,375

$103 HNL 2,744

-29.83%

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 Villanueva: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $37.00 in Villanueva. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $189 in Villanueva – so Villanueva 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 Villanueva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Villanueva, 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 $880 in Villanueva. 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 $37.00 in Villanueva. 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $586 in Villanueva, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Villanueva costs $586 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 Villanueva. 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.