Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Andrews and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Andrews and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,300 per month in Saint Andrews vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,341 per month in Saint Andrews vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,382 per month in Saint Andrews vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saint Andrews costs about 143% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint Andrews sits 67% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.76 CA$24.57

$2.08 ฿68.5

753.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 CA$90.8

$19.64 ฿646

234.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.19

$5.65 ฿186

94.34%

Cappuccino

$3.61 CA$4.99

$1.81 ฿59.3

99.45%

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

$2.01 CA$2.79

$0.71 ฿23.44

183.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$0.32 ฿10.38

412.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 CA$7.66

$2.24 ฿73.5

146.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 CA$8.05

$3.63 ฿119

60.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.90

$1.96 ฿64.4

6.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.57

$1.50 ฿49.38

72.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$1.34 ฿43.92

150.00%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.80

$2.26 ฿74.4

53.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.65 CA$16.12

$16.26 ฿534

-28.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.89 CA$15.07

$2.95 ฿97.1

269.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 CA$20.80

$9.94 ฿327

51.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.33

$2.57 ฿84.5

49.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.83

$1.06 ฿34.72

25.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$1.61 ฿53.0

99.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.39

$1.52 ฿49.96

155.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.34

$1.27 ฿41.76

89.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$1.07 ฿35.05

99.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$0.72 ฿23.67

229.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$0.51 ฿16.72

235.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.30 CA$19.79

$4.19 ฿138

241.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 CA$14.98

$17.87 ฿587

-39.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.81

$1.69 ฿55.7

63.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.35

$2.84 ฿93.2

10.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$0.93 ฿30.42

168.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 CA$88.6

$53.9 ฿1,770

18.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 CA$4.10

$1.23 ฿40.58

140.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.23

$0.58 ฿18.96

177.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.95 CA$30.37

$2.42 ฿79.7

807.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 CA$1.42

$1.41 ฿46.42

-26.95%

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

$24.6K CA$34.0K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

14.49%

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

$19.6K CA$27.2K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-28.14%

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

$147 CA$203

$63.7 ฿2,093

130.82%

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

$38.93 CA$53.9

$12.85 ฿423

202.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$77.2

$20.22 ฿665

176.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.76 CA$59.2

$38.74 ฿1,274

10.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 CA$27.61

$3.97 ฿130

402.52%

Cinema Ticket

$10.72 CA$14.83

$6.74 ฿221

59.05%

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

$679 CA$940

$778 ฿25.6K

-12.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K CA$17.5K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-13.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$83.3

$54.3 ฿1,785

10.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 CA$47.54

$25.45 ฿836

34.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$118

$94.3 ฿3,101

-9.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 CA$139

$73.4 ฿2,414

36.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 CA$1,780

$490 ฿16.1K

162.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 CA$1,420

$289 ฿9,510

254.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 CA$2,919

$894 ฿29.4K

136.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 CA$2,253

$517 ฿17.0K

214.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,135 CA$5,721

$1,955 ฿64.3K

111.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,012 CA$5,551

$1,477 ฿48.5K

171.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

5.57

-15.98%

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

Last update for Saint Andrews: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,286 in Saint Andrews 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 $66.0 in Saint Andrews versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Saint Andrews vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Andrews costs about 143% 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 $3,450 per month in Saint Andrews and $1,421 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 $679 per month in Saint Andrews and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Saint Andrews, 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 $947, than in Saint Andrews at $2,300. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Andrews it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $2,300 in Saint Andrews. 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, Saint Andrews makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.