Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Vina del Mar

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,062 in Vina del Mar, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Vina del Mar
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Vina del Mar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Vina del Mar

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,062

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Vina del Mar

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 Vina del Mar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,062 in Vina del Mar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Vina del Mar $1,062

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,710 in Vina del Mar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Vina del Mar $1,710

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,357 in Vina del Mar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Vina del Mar $2,357

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Vina del Mar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Vina del Mar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Vina del Mar 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$8.36 CLP 8,230

-72.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$58.4 CLP 57.5K

-67.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$7.82 CLP 7,699

-28.52%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$3.50 CLP 3,442

-50.86%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.42 CLP 1,394

-54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$1.09 CLP 1,073

-69.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$3.56 CLP 3,508

-33.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$3.41 CLP 3,356

14.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.31 CLP 1,292

56.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$1.18 CLP 1,166

18.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.64 CLP 1,618

-21.95%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$3.51 CLP 3,454

-35.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$9.66 CLP 9,505

75.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$5.13 CLP 5,053

-46.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$12.02 CLP 11.8K

-22.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.51 CLP 1,490

58.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.79 CLP 1,763

-43.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.29 CLP 1,270

24.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.11 CLP 1,091

36.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.55 CLP 1,525

-17.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.26 CLP 1,241

-11.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.98 CLP 966

-26.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$1.24 CLP 1,223

-58.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$4.88 CLP 4,801

-11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$7.28 CLP 7,171

143.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.75 CLP 1,727

-6.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.15 CLP 2,121

32.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.52 CLP 514

63.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$38.66 CLP 38.1K

39.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.49 CLP 1,469

-21.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.25 CLP 1,228

-54.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$12.33 CLP 12.1K

-80.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.36 CLP 1,338

6.62%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$18.3K CLP 18.0M

11.94%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$17.4K CLP 17.2M

51.95%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$108 CLP 106.3K

-42.28%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$14.92 CLP 14.7K

-17.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$17.68 CLP 17.4K

12.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$44.29 CLP 43.6K

-14.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$23.63 CLP 23.3K

-84.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$6.06 CLP 5,965

10.73%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$497 CLP 489.5K

60.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$5,087 CLP 5.0M

191.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$43.11 CLP 42.4K

23.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$33.47 CLP 32.9K

-25.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$55.2 CLP 54.3K

66.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$85.8 CLP 84.5K

-14.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$468 CLP 460.8K

-0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$333 CLP 328.0K

-8.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$836 CLP 823.0K

9.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$619 CLP 609.3K

-10.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$2,379 CLP 2.3M

-19.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$1,525 CLP 1.5M

-5.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,075 CLP 1.1M

-44.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.83

15.32%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Vina del Mar: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Vina del Mar

$333 31.4% 9.4% $29

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Vina del Mar

$219 20.6% 8% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Vina del Mar

$98 9.2% 10.6% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Vina del Mar

$141 13.2% 48.6% $46

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Vina del Mar

$167 15.7% 111% $88

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Vina del Mar

$48 4.6% 20.9% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Vina del Mar

$56 5.3% 9.9% $5.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $468 in Vina del Mar. 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 81% higher in Vina del Mar, 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 $58.0 in Vina del Mar. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $219 in Vina del Mar – so Vina del Mar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇱 Vina del Mar

🕒 Local time

05:02 5:02 AM

19:02 7:02 PM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

332,875

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Vina del Mar 18,170 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Vina del Mar

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 Vina del Mar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vina del Mar costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,594 in Vina del Mar. 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.

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $497 in Vina del Mar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Vina del Mar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Vina del Mar at $1,062. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vina del Mar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,062 in Vina del Mar. 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, Vina del Mar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.