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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,919 per month in Fajardo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,137 per month in Fajardo vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,355 per month in Fajardo vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fajardo costs about 125% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Fajardo sits 44% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.94 $9.94

$2.04 ฿68.2

387.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.0 $82.0

$18.71 ฿624

338.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 $9.48

$7.86 ฿262

20.61%

Cappuccino

$3.57 $3.57

$2.03 ฿67.7

75.86%

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

$1.75 $1.75

$0.80 ฿26.64

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.35 ฿11.68

297.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.14 ฿71.5

42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.67 ฿122

19.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.73 ฿57.6

45.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.57 ฿52.4

95.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.20 ฿39.99

90.00%

Eggs

$5.73 $5.73

$1.97 ฿65.8

190.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$16.23 ฿541

-68.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.56 $8.56

$3.06 ฿102

179.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.50 $12.50

$10.80 ฿360

15.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.77 ฿92.3

118.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.17 ฿38.94

128.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.71 ฿57.0

123.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.59 ฿53.2

161.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.39 ฿46.51

182.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.16 ฿38.56

153.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.66 ฿22.05

363.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.52 ฿17.31

263.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 $11.63

$4.65 ฿155

150.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.89 $9.89

$17.78 ฿593

-44.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.79 ฿59.6

41.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.34 ฿111

-6.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.34 ฿44.70

14.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 $15.16

$8.11 ฿270

86.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.23 ฿41.16

-25.20%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

64.69%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

23.30%

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

$354 $354

$71.3 ฿2,379

395.81%

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

$77.9 $77.9

$14.01 ฿467

456.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$17.93 ฿598

288.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$40.82 ฿1,362

146.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 $11.90

$5.72 ฿191

108.04%

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

$464 $464

$308 ฿10.3K

50.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-30.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.69 $45.69

$55.8 ฿1,860

-18.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 $57.3

$26.04 ฿869

120.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 $89.2

$84.8 ฿2,829

5.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$71.0 ฿2,368

46.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 $714

$423 ฿14.1K

68.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 $600

$242 ฿8,088

147.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 $1,604

$797 ฿26.6K

101.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 $1,603

$507 ฿16.9K

216.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

10.00%

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

Last update for Fajardo: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $714 in Fajardo versus $423 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Fajardo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $244 – 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

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

Fajardo costs about 125% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,878 per month in Fajardo and $1,279 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 $82.0 in Fajardo 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 46% more in Fajardo, 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 $852, than in Fajardo at $1,919. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fajardo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,919 in Fajardo. 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, Fajardo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.