Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,730 per month in Saint John's vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,728 per month in Saint John's vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,727 per month in Saint John's vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saint John's costs about 103% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint John's sits 30% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.91 EC$37.56

$2.04 ฿68.4

581.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.6 EC$223

$18.71 ฿626

341.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 EC$30.45

$7.86 ฿263

43.51%

Cappuccino

$3.86 EC$10.43

$2.03 ฿67.9

90.15%

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

$2.10 EC$5.66

$0.80 ฿26.71

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 EC$2.68

$0.35 ฿11.71

182.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 EC$4.92

$2.14 ฿71.7

-14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 EC$12.32

$3.67 ฿123

24.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 EC$6.11

$1.73 ฿57.8

30.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 EC$7.31

$1.57 ฿52.5

72.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 EC$4.90

$1.20 ฿40.10

51.67%

Eggs

$5.44 EC$14.69

$1.97 ฿66.0

176.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 EC$21.93

$16.23 ฿543

-49.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 EC$22.50

$3.06 ฿102

172.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

Apples (1kg)

$6.51 EC$17.57

$2.77 ฿92.6

135.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 EC$6.55

$1.17 ฿39.05

106.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.06 EC$21.77

$1.71 ฿57.1

371.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.27 EC$22.34

$1.59 ฿53.3

420.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 EC$7.94

$1.39 ฿46.63

111.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 EC$7.92

$1.16 ฿38.67

152.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 EC$6.79

$0.66 ฿22.11

281.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 EC$5.05

$0.52 ฿17.35

259.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 EC$24.84

$17.78 ฿595

-48.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 EC$7.40

$1.79 ฿59.8

53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 EC$9.72

$3.34 ฿112

7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 EC$2.70

$0.91 ฿30.35

9.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 EC$14.63

$1.41 ฿47.17

284.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.69 EC$15.38

$1.34 ฿44.82

324.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.86 EC$53.6

$8.11 ฿271

144.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 EC$4.57

$1.23 ฿41.27

37.40%

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

$24.0K EC$64.8K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

11.99%

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

$20.8K EC$56.2K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

-4.64%

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

$131 EC$353

$71.3 ฿2,386

83.33%

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

$40.15 EC$108

$14.01 ฿469

186.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 EC$198

$17.93 ฿600

307.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 EC$177

$40.82 ฿1,365

60.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.64 EC$98.9

$6.88 ฿230

432.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 EC$16.01

$5.72 ฿191

3.67%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,836 EC$4,958

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-87.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 EC$200

$84.8 ฿2,837

-12.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 EC$2,943

$423 ฿14.2K

157.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 EC$1,977

$242 ฿8,110

201.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 EC$4,512

$797 ฿26.7K

109.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 EC$4,014

$507 ฿17.0K

193.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,354 EC$3,656

$595 ฿19.9K

127.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

10.00%

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

Last update for Saint John's: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,090 in Saint John's versus $423 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 128% higher in Saint John's, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Saint John's versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $244 – 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

Saint John's vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John's costs about 103% 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 $2,595 per month in Saint John's and $1,279 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,730 in Saint John's and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Saint John's, 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 $852, than in Saint John's at $1,730. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John's it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,730 in Saint John's. 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 John's makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.