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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,237 per month in Luquillo vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Luquillo vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,795 per month in Luquillo vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Luquillo costs about 46% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Luquillo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Luquillo 7% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.95 $18.95

$1.96 ฿64.1

866.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$18.39 ฿603

314.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 $7.46

$7.87 ฿258

-5.21%

Cappuccino

$3.49 $3.49

$1.95 ฿63.9

78.97%

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

$1.21 $1.21

$0.85 ฿27.80

42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.32 ฿10.61

228.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.14 ฿70.2

43.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.68 ฿121

-45.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.66 ฿54.4

45.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.56 ฿51.1

114.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.19 ฿38.95

90.76%

Eggs

$6.07 $6.07

$1.99 ฿65.2

205.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$16.24 ฿532

-46.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 $8.64

$3.17 ฿104

172.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 $12.96

$10.84 ฿355

19.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$2.65 ฿87.0

115.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.22 ฿40.00

126.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.65 ฿54.1

143.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.55 ฿50.7

167.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$1.33 ฿43.53

190.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.21 ฿39.75

110.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.68 ฿22.22

111.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.57 ฿18.54

249.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$4.68 ฿154

157.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 $12.24

$16.99 ฿557

-27.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.82 ฿59.8

37.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.18 ฿104

0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 $61.2

$18.74 ฿614

226.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.34 ฿43.88

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.72 $14.72

$8.14 ฿267

80.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.28 ฿41.88

-34.38%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$21.8K ฿715.2K

62.42%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$22.4K ฿734.1K

16.96%

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

$227 $227

$70.5 ฿2,310

221.89%

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

$80.5 $80.5

$14.05 ฿460

473.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.0 $73.0

$17.65 ฿578

313.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.29 $37.29

$41.29 ฿1,353

-9.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 $11.94

$5.96 ฿195

100.34%

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

$478 $478

$303 ฿9,928

57.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$15.0K ฿490.2K

-31.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.94 $44.94

$54.7 ฿1,793

-17.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 $56.5

$26.29 ฿861

115.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 $80.5

$85.8 ฿2,811

-6.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$69.7 ฿2,284

54.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 $798

$428 ฿14.0K

86.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 $1,835

$811 ฿26.6K

126.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,031 $3,031

$623 ฿20.4K

386.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.73

-5.40%

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

Last update for Luquillo: June 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $798 in Luquillo versus $428 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 387% higher in Luquillo, 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 $76.0 in Luquillo versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $242 – 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

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

Luquillo costs about 46% 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 $1,855 per month in Luquillo and $1,272 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.

Kindergarten costs $478 per month in Luquillo and $303 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Luquillo, 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 $848, than in Luquillo at $1,237. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Luquillo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,237 in Luquillo. 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, Luquillo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.