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 $2,339 per month in Saint Andrews vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,384 per month in Saint Andrews vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,430 per month in Saint Andrews vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saint Andrews costs about 170% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint Andrews sits 75% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.96 CA$23.59

$1.94 ฿63.5

774.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$98.8

$18.64 ฿609

281.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 CA$15.10

$7.82 ฿255

38.87%

Cappuccino

$3.86 CA$5.37

$1.95 ฿63.8

97.95%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$0.85 ฿27.77

140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.38

$0.35 ฿11.58

388.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 CA$7.82

$2.13 ฿69.6

164.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 CA$8.10

$3.73 ฿122

56.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$1.71 ฿56.0

29.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$1.63 ฿53.2

65.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.92

$1.14 ฿37.15

209.65%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.87

$1.93 ฿63.1

81.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 CA$15.29

$16.21 ฿530

-32.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 CA$16.14

$3.12 ฿102

272.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.25

$10.90 ฿356

33.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.80

$2.75 ฿90.0

51.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.21 ฿39.52

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.08

$1.62 ฿53.0

125.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.38

$1.59 ฿51.8

143.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$1.40 ฿45.70

77.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$1.17 ฿38.17

113.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$0.66 ฿21.60

278.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.46

$0.53 ฿17.22

233.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.75 CA$19.12

$4.69 ฿153

193.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 CA$18.86

$18.66 ฿609

-27.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$1.80 ฿58.8

58.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.41

$3.23 ฿106

-1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.35

$0.90 ฿29.26

167.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 CA$88.0

$19.21 ฿628

229.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 CA$4.29

$1.41 ฿45.91

118.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.29 ฿42.12

11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.98 CA$36.12

$7.84 ฿256

231.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.27 ฿41.58

-9.45%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

17.94%

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

$20.9K CA$29.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-5.74%

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

$140 CA$195

$69.1 ฿2,256

103.24%

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

$44.27 CA$61.6

$14.08 ฿460

214.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 CA$86.2

$18.00 ฿588

244.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.38 CA$58.9

$41.06 ฿1,341

3.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 CA$15.65

$5.92 ฿193

90.03%

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

$750 CA$1,043

$299 ฿9,766

150.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-22.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$76.5

$54.7 ฿1,787

0.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 CA$54.6

$26.77 ฿874

46.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$120

$85.0 ฿2,776

1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$70.6 ฿2,306

49.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 CA$1,834

$428 ฿14.0K

208.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 CA$1,659

$237 ฿7,752

402.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 CA$2,786

$801 ฿26.2K

150.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 CA$2,487

$515 ฿16.8K

246.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,939 CA$6,869

$1,975 ฿64.5K

150.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,447 CA$4,793

$1,475 ฿48.2K

133.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

29.20%

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

Last update for Saint Andrews: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,319 in Saint Andrews 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Saint Andrews versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $246 – 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 170% 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 $3,508 per month in Saint Andrews and $1,300 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 $750 per month in Saint Andrews and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $866, than in Saint Andrews at $2,339. 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 $866 versus $2,339 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.