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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $577 in Villanueva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $948 in Villanueva, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,318 in Villanueva, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Villanueva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Villanueva are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Villanueva 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$5.70 HNL 153

-64.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$36.88 HNL 986

-49.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$7.90 HNL 211

-0.76%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$2.27 HNL 60.8

-14.98%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$0.94 HNL 25.12

-11.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$1.18 HNL 31.61

-70.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$1.12 HNL 29.92

98.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$2.64 HNL 70.7

43.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.39 HNL 37.26

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$2.05 HNL 54.9

-24.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$1.29 HNL 34.43

-8.53%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$2.03 HNL 54.2

-0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$5.98 HNL 160

170.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$3.69 HNL 98.6

-17.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$8.00 HNL 214

35.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$2.88 HNL 76.9

-6.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$1.46 HNL 39.12

-16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$1.44 HNL 38.53

13.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$1.51 HNL 40.45

1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$1.58 HNL 42.38

-15.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$1.42 HNL 37.97

-14.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$0.85 HNL 22.65

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$1.72 HNL 46.00

-69.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$2.47 HNL 66.0

89.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.28 HNL 34.35

44.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.80 HNL 48.23

78.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$4.15 HNL 111

-66.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.02 HNL 27.34

26.47%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$19.4K HNL 519.2K

12.13%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$19.2K HNL 514.7K

12.73%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$81.8 HNL 2,188

-14.45%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$9.06 HNL 242

56.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$41.00 HNL 1,097

-57.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$5.75 HNL 154

0.52%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$254 HNL 6,789

18.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$46.21 HNL 1,236

19.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$36.41 HNL 974

-27.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$108 HNL 2,879

-21.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$104 HNL 2,780

-32.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Villanueva: July 21, 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 – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $186 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 47% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $866 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 30% 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 $847 in Chiang Mai and $577 in Villanueva, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Villanueva costs $577 versus $847 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.