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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $977 per month in Curico vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,403 per month in Curico vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,829 per month in Curico vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Curico costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Curico and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Curico 27% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 CLP 4,245

$1.96 ฿63.6

144.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.71 CLP 28.1K

$18.39 ฿598

72.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 CLP 6,614

$7.87 ฿256

-5.08%

Cappuccino

$3.19 CLP 2,825

$1.95 ฿63.4

63.59%

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

$1.65 CLP 1,461

$0.85 ฿27.57

94.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 966

$0.32 ฿10.52

240.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 CLP 2,909

$2.14 ฿69.6

53.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 CLP 3,191

$3.68 ฿120

-2.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,049

$1.66 ฿53.9

-28.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,387

$1.56 ฿50.7

0.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,678

$1.19 ฿38.63

58.82%

Eggs

$2.26 CLP 1,998

$1.99 ฿64.7

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 CLP 9,121

$16.24 ฿528

-36.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 CLP 5,782

$3.17 ฿103

105.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 CLP 9,574

$10.84 ฿352

-0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,871

$2.65 ฿86.2

-20.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,430

$1.22 ฿39.67

31.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,870

$1.65 ฿53.7

27.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,636

$1.55 ฿50.3

19.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 CLP 1,742

$1.33 ฿43.17

48.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,433

$1.21 ฿39.43

33.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,148

$0.68 ฿22.04

91.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 CLP 844

$0.57 ฿18.38

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.68 CLP 5,029

$4.68 ฿152

21.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.68 CLP 5,918

$16.99 ฿552

-60.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,433

$1.82 ฿59.3

-10.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 CLP 2,228

$3.18 ฿103

-20.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 CLP 508

$0.91 ฿29.46

-37.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 419

$1.41 ฿45.80

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CLP 1,306

$1.34 ฿43.52

9.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.39 CLP 10.1K

$8.14 ฿265

39.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,271

$1.28 ฿41.53

11.72%

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

$19.9K CLP 17.6M

$21.8K ฿709.3K

-8.74%

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

$22.3K CLP 19.7M

$22.4K ฿728.0K

-0.47%

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

$130 CLP 115.3K

$70.5 ฿2,291

84.73%

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

$10.98 CLP 9,726

$14.05 ฿457

-21.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.98 CLP 19.5K

$17.65 ฿574

24.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 CLP 33.6K

$41.29 ฿1,342

-8.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 CLP 18.9K

$6.76 ฿220

215.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 CLP 5,803

$5.96 ฿194

9.90%

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

$433 CLP 383.5K

$303 ฿9,846

42.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,493 CLP 7.5M

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-43.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 CLP 48.8K

$54.7 ฿1,778

0.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.13 CLP 29.3K

$26.29 ฿854

26.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.42 CLP 33.1K

$85.8 ฿2,788

-56.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.80 CLP 43.2K

$69.7 ฿2,265

-29.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 CLP 384.7K

$428 ฿13.9K

1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 CLP 261.8K

$239 ฿7,769

23.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 CLP 548.9K

$811 ฿26.4K

-23.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 CLP 365.1K

$510 ฿16.6K

-19.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 CLP 450.3K

$623 ฿20.2K

-18.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Curico: June 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Curico versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 22% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Curico versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Curico vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Curico 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

Curico vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curico costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,466 per month in Curico and $1,272 in Chiang Mai. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Curico and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Curico – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $977 in Curico and $848 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $977 in Curico. 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, Curico makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.