Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between El Progreso and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in El Progreso: $144 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

El Progreso, Honduras
Chiang Mai, Thailand
El Progreso
🇭🇳 Honduras
$144
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in El Progreso and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in El Progreso and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $144 per month in El Progreso vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • El Progreso $144
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $283 per month in El Progreso vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • El Progreso $283
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $422 per month in El Progreso vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • El Progreso $422
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

El Progreso is about 85% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both El Progreso and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – El Progreso 89% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
El Progreso
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.89 HNL 131
$2.24 ฿75.7
118.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.46 HNL 657
$19.00 ฿642
28.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.89 HNL 212
$5.55 ฿188
42.16%
Cappuccino
$1.51 HNL 40.69
$1.67 ฿56.6
-9.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 HNL 23.77
$0.64 ฿21.56
37.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 HNL 26.03
$0.31 ฿10.32
212.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.45 HNL 38.96
$2.36 ฿79.6
-38.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 HNL 54.2
$3.66 ฿124
-44.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
El Progreso
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 HNL 33.66
$1.95 ฿65.8
-35.90%
White Bread (500g)
-
$1.44 ฿48.51
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.07 HNL 28.82
$1.33 ฿45.07
-19.55%
Eggs
$1.58 HNL 42.36
$2.28 ฿77.1
-30.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$16.45 ฿556
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$2.78 ฿94.0
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$9.31 ฿314
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.35 ฿79.5
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 HNL 39.91
$0.97 ฿32.82
53.61%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.60 ฿53.9
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$1.50 ฿50.7
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.28 ฿43.15
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 HNL 41.49
$1.10 ฿37.22
40.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$0.71 ฿23.84
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.49 ฿16.38
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.62 HNL 70.5
$4.14 ฿140
-36.71%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$17.52 ฿592
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 HNL 34.65
$1.61 ฿54.5
-19.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 HNL 36.43
$2.78 ฿94.0
-51.08%
🚌 Getting Around
El Progreso
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.87 ฿29.33
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$54.1 ฿1,827
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.16 ฿39.08
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.53 ฿17.82
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.42 ฿81.8
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.45 ฿48.93
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.1K ฿711.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.9K ฿909.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Progreso
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$62.2 ฿2,100
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$12.17 ฿411
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$20.12 ฿680
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
El Progreso
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.31 ฿1,260
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.77 ฿127
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.49 ฿219
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
El Progreso
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$736 ฿24.9K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.8K ฿498.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
El Progreso
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$53.4 ฿1,802
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$24.64 ฿832
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$91.5 ฿3,089
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$71.9 ฿2,429
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
El Progreso
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$482 ฿16.3K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$309 ฿10.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,006 ฿34.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$633 ฿21.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,363 ฿79.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,589 ฿53.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
El Progreso
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$590 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for El Progreso: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
El Progreso
–
Chiang Mai
$309
Groceries & Markets
El Progreso
–
Chiang Mai
$234
Clothing & Footwear
El Progreso
–
Chiang Mai
$109
Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Progreso
–
Chiang Mai
$94
Eating Out
El Progreso
–
Chiang Mai
$78
Getting Around
El Progreso
–
Chiang Mai
$61
Sport & Entertainment
El Progreso
–
Chiang Mai
$50

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in El Progreso versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $44 in El Progreso vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so El Progreso wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇭🇳 El Progreso
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
11:42 11:42 AM
00:42 12:42 AM
13 h ahead of El Progreso
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
100,810
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to HNL – Honduran Lempira Converter

Honduran Lempira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 26.87 HNL (100 HNL = 3.72 USD). 1 EUR = 29.91 HNL (100 HNL = 3.34 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • El Progreso Chiang Mai 16,140 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • El Progreso
  • 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
El Progreso vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, El Progreso or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 550% more than El Progreso, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in El Progreso and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $216 per month in El Progreso and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in El Progreso compared to Chiang Mai?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $144 in El Progreso and $936 in Chiang Mai. That’s a gap of about 550%.
Are groceries more expensive in El Progreso or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 429% 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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: El Progreso or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $144 in El Progreso to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

El Progreso vs other spots: cost of living compared

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