Cost of Living Comparison Between El Progreso and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between El Progreso and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $567 per month in El Progreso vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $893 per month in El Progreso vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,219 per month in El Progreso vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

El Progreso is about 35% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both El Progreso and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – El Progreso 58% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 HNL 153

$1.98 ฿64.9

188.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.78 HNL 661

$18.80 ฿618

31.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 HNL 210

$7.75 ฿255

1.68%

Cappuccino

$1.47 HNL 39.24

$1.92 ฿63.1

-23.44%

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

$1.01 HNL 26.89

$0.79 ฿26.03

27.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 HNL 27.38

$0.36 ฿11.72

186.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 HNL 31.05

$2.21 ฿72.8

-47.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 HNL 53.0

$3.66 ฿120

-45.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 HNL 34.35

$1.65 ฿54.3

-21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 HNL 55.5

$1.63 ฿53.6

27.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 HNL 32.63

$1.19 ฿39.22

2.52%

Eggs

$2.04 HNL 54.4

$2.00 ฿65.7

2.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 HNL 119

$15.98 ฿525

-72.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 HNL 104

$3.03 ฿99.4

28.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 HNL 209

$10.86 ฿357

-27.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 HNL 79.3

$2.76 ฿90.8

7.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 HNL 38.34

$1.18 ฿38.77

22.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 HNL 38.66

$1.64 ฿54.0

-11.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 HNL 40.51

$1.52 ฿49.97

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 HNL 42.66

$1.38 ฿45.52

15.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 HNL 35.88

$1.19 ฿39.19

13.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 HNL 23.69

$0.70 ฿23.08

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 HNL 44.45

$0.56 ฿18.30

198.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 HNL 65.9

$4.58 ฿150

-46.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿544

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 HNL 35.58

$1.83 ฿60.1

-27.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 HNL 48.01

$3.20 ฿105

-43.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 HNL 116

$1.36 ฿44.57

219.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 HNL 28.79

$1.23 ฿40.29

-12.20%

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

$19.5K HNL 520.2K

$21.6K ฿710.8K

-9.74%

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

$19.4K HNL 518.0K

$22.5K ฿741.1K

-13.81%

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

$80.7 HNL 2,150

$70.5 ฿2,319

14.37%

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

$9.07 HNL 242

$13.68 ฿450

-33.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.37 HNL 1,103

$17.45 ฿574

137.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,359

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 HNL 153

$5.77 ฿190

-0.69%

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

$245 HNL 6,538

$307 ฿10.1K

-20.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 HNL 1,214

$55.8 ฿1,834

-18.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.67 HNL 951

$26.21 ฿861

36.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 HNL 2,952

$85.8 ฿2,819

29.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 HNL 2,750

$72.2 ฿2,375

42.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,845

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

140.00%

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

Last update for El Progreso: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in El Progreso versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in El Progreso vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so El Progreso 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

El Progreso vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than El Progreso, 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 $850 per month in El Progreso and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in El Progreso and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $567 in El Progreso and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Progreso costs $567 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 El Progreso. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.