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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,091 per month in Linares vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,675 per month in Linares vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,259 per month in Linares vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Linares costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Linares and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Linares 19% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 CLP 4,972

$1.98 ฿64.3

179.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.4 CLP 48.9K

$18.80 ฿612

189.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.32 CLP 7,474

$7.75 ฿252

7.35%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CLP 2,817

$1.92 ฿62.5

63.02%

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

$0.67 CLP 603

$0.79 ฿25.79

-15.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 CLP 987

$0.36 ฿11.62

205.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 2,919

$2.21 ฿72.1

47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CLP 2,863

$3.66 ฿119

-12.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,061

$1.65 ฿53.8

-28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,362

$1.63 ฿53.2

-6.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 CLP 1,941

$1.19 ฿38.86

81.51%

Eggs

$2.63 CLP 2,359

$2.00 ฿65.1

31.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 CLP 9,565

$15.98 ฿520

-33.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 CLP 6,018

$3.03 ฿98.5

121.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 CLP 9,875

$10.86 ฿354

1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,894

$2.76 ฿90.0

-23.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,469

$1.18 ฿38.42

38.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 CLP 1,891

$1.64 ฿53.5

28.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 CLP 802

$1.52 ฿49.51

-41.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 CLP 649

$1.38 ฿45.10

-47.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 CLP 1,505

$1.19 ฿38.84

40.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,158

$0.70 ฿22.86

84.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,075

$0.56 ฿18.13

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.81 CLP 5,225

$4.58 ฿149

26.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 CLP 5,739

$16.56 ฿539

-61.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,384

$1.83 ฿59.5

-15.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CLP 2,289

$3.20 ฿104

-20.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 525

$0.88 ฿28.56

-34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 456

$1.36 ฿44.16

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CLP 1,273

$1.34 ฿43.65

5.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 CLP 10.2K

$7.84 ฿256

44.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,242

$1.23 ฿39.92

12.20%

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

$19.4K CLP 17.4M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-10.23%

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

$22.6K CLP 20.3M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

0.13%

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

$132 CLP 118.4K

$70.5 ฿2,298

86.82%

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

$13.37 CLP 12.0K

$13.68 ฿445

-2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.28 CLP 20.0K

$17.45 ฿568

27.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.67 CLP 34.8K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-6.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.09 CLP 19.0K

$6.96 ฿227

203.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 CLP 5,877

$5.77 ฿188

13.34%

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

$435 CLP 391.1K

$307 ฿10.0K

41.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,912 CLP 3.5M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-73.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 CLP 50.7K

$55.8 ฿1,817

1.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.64 CLP 29.3K

$26.21 ฿854

24.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 CLP 68.9K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-10.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 CLP 75.3K

$72.2 ฿2,353

16.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 CLP 431.8K

$430 ฿14.0K

11.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 CLP 329.1K

$239 ฿7,774

53.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 CLP 804.6K

$817 ฿26.6K

9.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 CLP 543.1K

$511 ฿16.6K

18.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,225 CLP 2.0M

$1,983 ฿64.6K

12.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,239 CLP 2.0M

$1,484 ฿48.3K

50.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$875 CLP 786.5K

$619 ฿20.2K

41.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

-1.20%

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

Last update for Linares: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $480 in Linares 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 41% higher in Linares, 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 $54.0 in Linares versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Linares vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Linares 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

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

Linares costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,636 per month in Linares 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Linares and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Linares – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Linares at $1,091. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Linares it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,091 in Linares. 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, Linares makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.