Cost of Living Comparison Between Punto Fijo and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Punto Fijo and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $992 per month in Punto Fijo vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,696 per month in Punto Fijo vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,400 per month in Punto Fijo vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Punto Fijo costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Punto Fijo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Punto Fijo 28% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 VES 12.2K

$2.10 ฿69.4

600.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 VES 66.7K

$19.84 ฿656

304.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

Cappuccino

$2.31 VES 1,915

$1.83 ฿60.5

26.23%

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

$1.46 VES 1,213

$0.78 ฿25.63

87.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 VES 606

$0.31 ฿10.38

135.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 VES 1,614

$2.34 ฿77.3

-17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.58 VES 4,637

$3.70 ฿122

50.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 VES 2,138

$2.03 ฿67.1

26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 VES 2,049

$1.60 ฿52.8

54.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 VES 2,837

$1.42 ฿46.80

140.85%

Eggs

$6.34 VES 5,261

$2.18 ฿72.0

190.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.12 VES 5,079

$15.91 ฿526

-61.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 VES 4,185

$3.07 ฿102

64.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 VES 4,073

$9.87 ฿326

-50.25%

Apples (1kg)

$7.88 VES 6,547

$2.63 ฿86.9

199.62%

Banana (1kg)

$4.90 VES 4,072

$1.10 ฿36.23

345.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 VES 4,205

$1.63 ฿53.9

210.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$5.95 VES 4,942

$1.24 ฿41.16

379.84%

Onion (1kg)

$4.97 VES 4,129

$1.13 ฿37.40

339.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 VES 2,544

$0.74 ฿24.41

313.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 VES 1,235

$0.50 ฿16.50

198.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 VES 3,272

$4.28 ฿142

-7.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 VES 1,649

$1.70 ฿56.2

17.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 VES 4,071

$2.90 ฿95.8

68.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 VES 1,027

$0.94 ฿31.15

31.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.85 VES 5,684

$0.53 ฿17.67

1192.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 404

$1.44 ฿47.60

-65.97%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

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

$49.51 VES 41.1K

$64.9 ฿2,147

-23.75%

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

$9.96 VES 8,273

$13.35 ฿442

-25.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.03 VES 31.6K

$20.83 ฿689

82.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.89 VES 33.1K

$40.42 ฿1,337

-1.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

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

$200 VES 166.0K

$787 ฿26.0K

-74.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,591 VES 3.0M

$15.1K ฿500.1K

-76.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.76 VES 28.9K

$92.7 ฿3,066

-62.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 VES 336.4K

$484 ฿16.0K

-16.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 VES 244.5K

$287 ฿9,500

2.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 VES 659.3K

$910 ฿30.1K

-12.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 VES 508.0K

$531 ฿17.5K

15.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 VES 168.8K

$605 ฿20.0K

-66.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Punto Fijo: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $405 in Punto Fijo versus $484 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 198% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Punto Fijo versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 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

Punto Fijo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Punto Fijo costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,488 per month in Punto Fijo and $1,426 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 $80.0 in Punto Fijo 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 30% more in Punto Fijo, 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 $950, than in Punto Fijo at $992. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Punto Fijo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $992 in Punto Fijo. 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, Punto Fijo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.