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 $1,076 per month in Linares vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,675 per month in Linares vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,275 per month in Linares vs $1,857 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 20% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 CLP 4,741

$1.96 ฿63.6

169.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 CLP 49.0K

$18.81 ฿611

191.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 CLP 7,424

$7.92 ฿258

4.67%

Cappuccino

$3.27 CLP 2,927

$1.91 ฿62.2

71.20%

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

$0.67 CLP 597

$0.84 ฿27.25

-20.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 945

$0.35 ฿11.44

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 CLP 2,843

$2.21 ฿71.7

43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CLP 2,817

$3.80 ฿124

-17.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,103

$1.64 ฿53.2

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,415

$1.62 ฿52.8

-2.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 CLP 1,861

$1.18 ฿38.40

76.27%

Eggs

$2.62 CLP 2,344

$2.01 ฿65.4

30.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 CLP 9,351

$15.89 ฿517

-34.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 CLP 5,829

$3.01 ฿98.0

116.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 CLP 9,702

$10.77 ฿350

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 CLP 1,806

$2.61 ฿85.0

-22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,386

$1.22 ฿39.65

27.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 CLP 1,843

$1.70 ฿55.4

21.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 CLP 759

$1.58 ฿51.2

-46.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 CLP 693

$1.32 ฿42.89

-41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,443

$1.17 ฿38.01

37.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,160

$0.67 ฿21.85

94.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,068

$0.56 ฿18.21

112.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.63 CLP 5,047

$4.53 ฿147

24.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 CLP 5,919

$18.20 ฿592

-63.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,387

$1.83 ฿59.6

-15.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 CLP 2,252

$3.23 ฿105

-22.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 524

$0.89 ฿28.83

-34.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 456

$1.35 ฿43.95

-62.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CLP 1,276

$1.35 ฿43.79

5.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.41 CLP 10.2K

$8.25 ฿268

38.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,271

$1.27 ฿41.40

11.81%

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

$19.5K CLP 17.4M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-7.95%

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

$22.9K CLP 20.5M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

2.03%

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

$132 CLP 118.1K

$70.2 ฿2,281

88.03%

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

$13.63 CLP 12.2K

$13.77 ฿448

-1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.17 CLP 19.9K

$17.60 ฿572

25.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 CLP 34.8K

$41.57 ฿1,352

-6.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.93 CLP 18.7K

$6.60 ฿215

217.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 CLP 5,912

$5.78 ฿188

14.19%

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

$432 CLP 387.2K

$306 ฿9,953

41.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,918 CLP 3.5M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-73.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 CLP 49.0K

$54.4 ฿1,768

0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.20 CLP 29.7K

$26.14 ฿850

27.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 CLP 69.9K

$84.5 ฿2,748

-7.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 CLP 73.9K

$69.4 ฿2,257

18.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 CLP 433.8K

$424 ฿13.8K

14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 CLP 333.2K

$238 ฿7,743

56.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 CLP 778.6K

$825 ฿26.8K

5.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 CLP 521.5K

$515 ฿16.7K

13.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,322 CLP 2.1M

$2,049 ฿66.6K

13.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,328 CLP 2.1M

$1,523 ฿49.5K

52.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$884 CLP 792.0K

$635 ฿20.6K

39.21%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Linares versus $424 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 39% 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 $55.0 in Linares versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Linares vs $243 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 $1,614 per month in Linares and $1,278 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 $55.0 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 8% cheaper in Linares – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,076 in Linares and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,076 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.