Cost of Living Comparison Between Diego Martin and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Diego Martin and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,420 per month in Diego Martin vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,396 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,372 per month in Diego Martin vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Diego Martin costs about 63% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Diego Martin sits 6% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 TTD 35.52

$1.98 ฿64.3

165.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 TTD 501

$18.80 ฿612

294.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 TTD 45.61

$7.75 ฿252

-12.90%

Cappuccino

$3.61 TTD 24.39

$1.92 ฿62.5

88.02%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.45

$0.79 ฿25.79

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 TTD 3.87

$0.36 ฿11.62

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 TTD 12.80

$2.21 ฿72.1

-14.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 TTD 20.33

$3.66 ฿119

-17.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 TTD 18.78

$1.65 ฿53.8

68.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 TTD 14.38

$1.63 ฿53.2

30.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.40

$1.19 ฿38.86

115.97%

Eggs

$4.51 TTD 30.48

$2.00 ฿65.1

125.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.75 TTD 52.4

$15.98 ฿520

-51.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 TTD 70.5

$3.03 ฿98.5

244.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 TTD 98.1

$10.86 ฿354

33.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 TTD 39.62

$2.76 ฿90.0

112.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 TTD 17.10

$1.18 ฿38.42

114.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 TTD 28.68

$1.64 ฿53.5

158.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 TTD 31.16

$1.52 ฿49.51

203.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 TTD 10.16

$1.38 ฿45.10

8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 TTD 11.51

$1.19 ฿38.84

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 TTD 13.08

$0.70 ฿22.86

177.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 TTD 9.87

$0.56 ฿18.13

160.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 TTD 39.63

$4.58 ฿149

27.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 TTD 125

$16.56 ฿539

11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 TTD 14.51

$1.83 ฿59.5

17.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 19.05

$3.20 ฿104

-11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 TTD 5.81

$0.88 ฿28.56

-2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 TTD 502

$18.72 ฿610

297.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.83

$1.36 ฿44.16

-25.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 TTD 6.15

$1.34 ฿43.65

-32.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.62 TTD 98.9

$7.84 ฿256

86.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 TTD 7.29

$1.23 ฿39.92

-12.20%

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

$14.5K TTD 98.1K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-32.93%

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

$38.3K TTD 258.7K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

69.70%

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

$78.8 TTD 533

$70.5 ฿2,298

11.70%

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

$46.94 TTD 317

$13.68 ฿445

243.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 424

$17.45 ฿568

259.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 TTD 299

$41.33 ฿1,346

6.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 TTD 51.3

$5.77 ฿188

31.54%

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

$334 TTD 2,256

$307 ฿10.0K

8.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,115 TTD 48.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-51.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 TTD 405

$55.8 ฿1,817

7.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.07 TTD 264

$26.21 ฿854

49.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 1,002

$85.8 ฿2,793

72.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 TTD 882

$72.2 ฿2,353

80.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 TTD 4,548

$430 ฿14.0K

56.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 TTD 3,029

$239 ฿7,774

87.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 TTD 9,580

$817 ฿26.6K

73.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 TTD 6,462

$511 ฿16.6K

87.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,799 TTD 12.2K

$619 ฿20.2K

190.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

7.60%

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

Last update for Diego Martin: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Diego Martin versus $430 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 191% higher in Diego Martin, 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 $74.0 in Diego Martin versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Diego Martin vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diego Martin costs about 63% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $2,131 per month in Diego Martin and $1,303 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.

Kindergarten costs $334 per month in Diego Martin and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Diego Martin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Diego Martin at $1,420. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Diego Martin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,420 in Diego Martin. 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, Diego Martin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.