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 $1,333 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,374 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,415 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Perez Zeledon costs about 43% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Perez Zeledon and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Perez Zeledon 3% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 ₡4,210

$2.08 ฿69.5

355.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.63 ₡16.7K

$19.61 ฿655

91.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 ₡3,630

$5.67 ฿189

44.09%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ₡1,169

$1.81 ฿60.3

45.30%

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

$1.92 ₡851

$0.77 ฿25.65

149.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₡771

$0.35 ฿11.53

397.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 ₡769

$2.21 ฿73.9

-21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 ₡1,380

$3.79 ฿127

-17.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₡708

$2.05 ฿68.4

-22.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₡1,406

$1.51 ฿50.6

109.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 ₡1,133

$1.40 ฿46.69

82.14%

Eggs

$2.55 ₡1,134

$2.26 ฿75.4

12.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 ₡4,765

$16.19 ฿540

-33.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 ₡4,715

$2.90 ฿96.7

265.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 ₡6,389

$9.42 ฿314

52.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 ₡2,312

$2.68 ฿89.4

94.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₡499

$1.09 ฿36.37

2.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.70 ₡2,089

$1.62 ฿54.0

190.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ₡1,795

$1.46 ฿48.74

176.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 ₡1,714

$1.28 ฿42.65

201.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,671

$1.06 ฿35.31

254.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ₡200

$0.72 ฿23.94

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₡1,430

$0.53 ฿17.56

507.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 ₡2,568

$4.23 ฿141

36.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.59 ₡9,151

$18.29 ฿611

12.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,266

$1.63 ฿54.4

74.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ₡1,619

$2.90 ฿96.8

25.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ₡336

$0.88 ฿29.32

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ₡1,117

$1.17 ฿39.14

114.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡694

$0.58 ฿19.30

168.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 ₡3,836

$2.39 ฿79.6

261.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₡685

$1.45 ฿48.41

6.21%

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

$21.7K ₡9.6M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

3.32%

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

$35.2K ₡15.6M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

33.15%

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

$95.8 ₡42.6K

$63.7 ฿2,125

50.45%

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

$24.16 ₡10.7K

$12.89 ฿430

87.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 ₡27.5K

$20.52 ฿685

201.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 ₡32.4K

$39.02 ฿1,302

86.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$8.11 ₡3,606

$6.58 ฿220

23.25%

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

$490 ₡217.8K

$784 ฿26.2K

-37.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ₡7.8M

$14.7K ฿489.8K

18.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 ₡31.8K

$55.1 ฿1,840

29.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.6K

$24.74 ฿826

124.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₡58.9K

$94.1 ฿3,142

40.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡59.2K

$74.0 ฿2,469

80.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₡178.7K

$490 ฿16.4K

-18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ₡146.7K

$288 ฿9,620

14.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,142 ₡952.2K

$891 ฿29.8K

140.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 ₡575.5K

$521 ฿17.4K

148.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

5.57

57.63%

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

Last update for Perez Zeledon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Perez Zeledon versus $490 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 $38.00 in Perez Zeledon versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 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 43% 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 $2,000 per month in Perez Zeledon and $1,398 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 $38.00 in Perez Zeledon and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% 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 $932, than in Perez Zeledon at $1,333. 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 $932 versus $1,333 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.