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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $665 per month in Latacunga vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,089 per month in Latacunga vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,514 per month in Latacunga vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Latacunga is about 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Latacunga and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Latacunga 51% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.43 $2.43

$1.98 ฿64.3

22.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.27 $28.27

$18.80 ฿612

50.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 $8.16

$7.75 ฿252

5.29%

Cappuccino

$2.64 $2.64

$1.92 ฿62.5

37.50%

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

$0.92 $0.92

$0.79 ฿25.79

16.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.36 ฿11.62

69.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.21 ฿72.1

37.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.66 ฿119

20.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.65 ฿53.8

-31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.63 ฿53.2

3.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.19 ฿38.86

-14.29%

Eggs

$1.75 $1.75

$2.00 ฿65.1

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$15.98 ฿520

-68.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.03 ฿98.5

73.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$10.86 ฿354

-42.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.76 ฿90.0

-22.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.18 ฿38.42

-11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.64 ฿53.5

-35.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.52 ฿49.51

-28.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.38 ฿45.10

-26.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.19 ฿38.84

-16.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.70 ฿22.86

-31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.56 ฿18.13

80.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 $5.84

$4.58 ฿149

27.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$16.56 ฿539

-38.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.83 ฿59.5

-17.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.20 ฿104

-33.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.88 ฿28.56

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.11 $24.11

$18.72 ฿610

28.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.36 ฿44.16

11.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.34 ฿43.65

12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 $10.04

$7.84 ฿256

28.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.23 ฿39.92

-47.97%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

14.49%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

28.28%

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

$38.02 $38.02

$70.5 ฿2,298

-46.10%

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

$13.44 $13.44

$13.68 ฿445

-1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.66 $31.66

$17.45 ฿568

81.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.77 $29.77

$41.33 ฿1,346

-27.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.81 $14.81

$6.96 ฿227

112.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 $7.97

$5.77 ฿188

38.13%

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

$314 $314

$307 ฿10.0K

2.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,949 $5,949

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-59.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$55.8 ฿1,817

-5.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 $42.61

$26.21 ฿854

62.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$85.8 ฿2,793

19.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$72.2 ฿2,353

55.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 $118

$430 ฿14.0K

-72.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.1 $79.1

$239 ฿7,774

-66.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 $245

$817 ฿26.6K

-70.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 $203

$511 ฿16.6K

-60.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,090 $1,090

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-45.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$899 $899

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-39.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

87.00%

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

Last update for Latacunga: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Latacunga 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Latacunga versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Latacunga vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Latacunga 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Latacunga, 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 $997 per month in Latacunga 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 Latacunga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $314 per month in Latacunga 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 36% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $665 in Latacunga and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Latacunga costs $665 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 Latacunga. 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.