Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,165 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,898 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,631 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Perez Zeledon costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Perez Zeledon and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Perez Zeledon 13% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 ₡3,060

$1.98 ฿64.3

241.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 ₡17.9K

$18.80 ฿612

110.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 ₡4,569

$7.75 ฿252

30.45%

Cappuccino

$3.81 ₡1,720

$1.92 ฿62.5

98.44%

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

$1.51 ₡684

$0.79 ฿25.79

91.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₡725

$0.36 ฿11.62

347.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₡1,334

$2.21 ฿72.1

33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 ₡2,093

$3.66 ฿119

26.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ₡888

$1.65 ฿53.8

18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 ₡1,310

$1.63 ฿53.2

77.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡999

$1.19 ฿38.86

85.71%

Eggs

$2.54 ₡1,147

$2.00 ฿65.1

27.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 ₡3,708

$15.98 ฿520

-48.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 ₡4,144

$3.03 ฿98.5

202.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 ₡6,249

$10.86 ฿354

27.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 ₡2,010

$2.76 ฿90.0

61.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 ₡442

$1.18 ฿38.42

-16.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 ₡1,920

$1.64 ฿53.5

159.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 ₡1,609

$1.52 ฿49.51

134.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 ₡1,289

$1.38 ฿45.10

106.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 ₡1,239

$1.19 ฿38.84

130.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 ₡186

$0.70 ฿22.86

-41.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,268

$0.56 ฿18.13

401.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,315

$4.58 ฿149

11.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.29 ₡9,617

$16.56 ฿539

28.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₡992

$1.83 ฿59.5

19.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₡715

$3.20 ฿104

-50.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 ₡336

$0.88 ฿28.56

-15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡813

$1.36 ฿44.16

32.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡832

$1.34 ฿43.65

37.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 ₡3,482

$7.84 ฿256

-1.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₡632

$1.23 ฿39.92

13.82%

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

$37.7K ₡17.0M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

74.24%

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

$32.3K ₡14.6M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

43.13%

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

$93.8 ₡42.4K

$70.5 ฿2,298

32.99%

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

$21.74 ₡9,821

$13.68 ฿445

58.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 ₡27.0K

$17.45 ฿568

243.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.06 ₡13.6K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-27.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.04 ₡10.9K

$6.96 ฿227

245.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 ₡4,363

$5.77 ฿188

67.42%

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

$509 ₡230.2K

$307 ฿10.0K

65.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ₡5.6M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-14.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 ₡28.6K

$55.8 ฿1,817

13.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 ₡23.4K

$26.21 ฿854

97.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.5K

$85.8 ฿2,793

45.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.3K

$72.2 ฿2,353

48.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 ₡150.8K

$430 ฿14.0K

-22.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₡121.5K

$239 ฿7,774

12.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,515 ₡684.6K

$817 ฿26.6K

85.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ₡286.2K

$511 ฿16.6K

24.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

80.00%

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

Last update for Perez Zeledon: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $334 in Perez Zeledon 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 $40.00 in Perez Zeledon versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $241 – 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

Perez Zeledon vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perez Zeledon costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,748 per month in Perez Zeledon 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 $40.00 in Perez Zeledon 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 45% more in Perez Zeledon, 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 $869, than in Perez Zeledon at $1,165. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perez Zeledon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,165 in Perez Zeledon. 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, Perez Zeledon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.