🇮🇹 Italy
89
Cost of Living Index in Italy
Learn more Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Chiang Mai
For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,735 in Costa Rica, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
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😐 Solo nomad: Costa Rica is 79.1% more expensive than Chiang Mai without rent, and 91.5% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Costa Rica is 85.6% more expensive than Chiang Mai without rent, and 97.6% more expensive with rent.
🍽 Eating Out
Costa Rica
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.78 ₡5,312
$2.13 ฿71.4
453.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.5 ₡25.0K
$19.40 ฿649
186.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.72 ₡4,831
$5.47 ฿183
95.98%
Cappuccino
$4.49 ₡2,023
$1.68 ฿56.4
167.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 ₡1,051
$0.66 ฿22.10
253.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 ₡815
$0.34 ฿11.52
432.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.23 ₡1,455
$2.42 ฿81.0
33.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 ₡1,992
$3.73 ฿125
18.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.30 ₡1,037
$2.06 ฿68.9
11.65%
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 ₡1,600
$1.46 ฿48.78
143.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 ₡1,221
$1.35 ฿45.09
100.74%
Eggs
$4.05 ₡1,825
$2.27 ฿76.0
78.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.92 ₡4,473
$16.31 ฿546
-39.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.49 ₡4,729
$2.70 ฿90.3
288.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.56 ₡6,111
$9.20 ฿308
47.39%
Apples (1kg)
$5.13 ₡2,312
$2.39 ฿80.1
114.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ₡758
$1.04 ฿34.66
61.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.63 ₡1,639
$1.60 ฿53.7
126.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 ₡1,463
$1.44 ฿48.37
125.00%
Potato (1kg)
$3.40 ₡1,534
$1.30 ฿43.59
161.54%
Onion (1kg)
$3.09 ₡1,394
$1.11 ฿37.29
178.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.11 ₡501
$0.70 ฿23.55
58.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.64 ₡1,192
$0.51 ฿16.99
417.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.43 ₡2,446
$4.13 ฿138
31.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.63 ₡7,048
$17.78 ฿595
-12.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.75 ₡1,238
$1.63 ฿54.7
68.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 ₡1,472
$2.87 ฿96.0
13.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.07 ₡480
$0.86 ฿28.76
24.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.3 ₡29.4K
$53.2 ฿1,780
22.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.18 ₡981
$1.22 ฿40.81
78.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.03 ₡916
$0.56 ฿18.81
262.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.82 ₡3,977
$2.31 ฿77.5
281.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 ₡688
$1.50 ฿50.2
2.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K ₡14.8M
$20.9K ฿698.3K
57.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.0K ₡16.2M
$26.7K ฿895.0K
34.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.4 ₡42.1K
$61.3 ฿2,051
52.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.19 ₡13.6K
$12.50 ฿419
141.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.1 ₡25.7K
$20.36 ฿682
180.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.1 ₡29.3K
$37.94 ฿1,270
71.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.13 ₡9,976
$3.77 ฿126
487.00%
Cinema Ticket
$8.09 ₡3,645
$6.60 ฿221
22.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$740 ₡333.8K
$774 ฿25.9K
-4.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K ₡5.7M
$14.4K ฿483.2K
-13.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.5 ₡34.0K
$54.8 ฿1,835
37.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.6 ₡24.6K
$25.26 ฿846
116.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 ₡57.4K
$90.6 ฿3,032
40.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 ₡48.3K
$73.3 ฿2,453
46.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$833 ₡375.3K
$459 ฿15.4K
81.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$641 ₡289.1K
$294 ฿9,835
118.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,776 ₡800.8K
$919 ฿30.8K
93.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,191 ₡536.9K
$552 ฿18.5K
115.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,437 ₡1.1M
$1,917 ฿64.2K
27.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,631 ₡735.2K
$1,445 ฿48.4K
12.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,033 ₡465.8K
$592 ฿19.8K
74.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.56
5.57
71.63%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Costa Rica: October 5, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica $641 36.7%
Chiang Mai $294 31.8% 54.2% $348
Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica $379 21.7%
Chiang Mai $236 25.6% 37.7% $143
Eating Out
Costa Rica $222 12.7%
Chiang Mai $77 8.4% 65.2% $145
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica $181 10.3%
Chiang Mai $94 10.2% 47.9% $87
Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica $164 9.4%
Chiang Mai $110 11.9% 33.1% $54
Getting Around
Costa Rica $82 4.7%
Chiang Mai $61 6.6% 26% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica $81 4.6%
Chiang Mai $51 5.5% 37.1% $30
Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica $1.2K 32.2%
Chiang Mai $552 29% 53.7% $639
Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica $864 23.3%
Chiang Mai $529 27.8% 38.7% $335
Eating Out
Costa Rica $719 19.4%
Chiang Mai $243 12.8% 66.2% $476
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica $211 5.7%
Chiang Mai $107 5.6% 49.4% $104
Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica $365 9.9%
Chiang Mai $244 12.8% 33.1% $121
Getting Around
Costa Rica $166 4.5%
Chiang Mai $123 6.5% 25.9% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica $185 5%
Chiang Mai $106 5.6% 42.6% $79
Good to know
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
Weather
Population
5,044,197
127,240
Exchange rates and currency converter
On the map
Lowest
Highest
Between locations
- Costa Rica Chiang Mai 16,800 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
- Costa Rica
- Chiang Mai
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
Costa Rica vs other spots: cost of living compared
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