Cost of Living Comparison Between San Bernardo and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between San Bernardo and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,131 per month in San Bernardo vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,755 per month in San Bernardo vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,379 per month in San Bernardo vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Bernardo costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Bernardo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – San Bernardo 16% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.83 CLP 9,733

$1.98 ฿64.3

446.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 CLP 48.1K

$18.80 ฿612

184.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 CLP 7,346

$7.75 ฿252

5.42%

Cappuccino

$3.24 CLP 2,916

$1.92 ฿62.5

68.75%

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

$0.94 CLP 846

$0.79 ฿25.79

18.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CLP 1,174

$0.36 ฿11.62

263.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 CLP 2,936

$2.21 ฿72.1

47.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 CLP 3,775

$3.66 ฿119

14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 CLP 1,006

$1.65 ฿53.8

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,415

$1.63 ฿53.2

-3.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 1,957

$1.19 ฿38.86

83.19%

Eggs

$4.01 CLP 3,601

$2.00 ฿65.1

100.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 CLP 9,469

$15.98 ฿520

-34.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 CLP 5,970

$3.03 ฿98.5

119.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 CLP 9,829

$10.86 ฿354

0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 CLP 1,863

$2.76 ฿90.0

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,391

$1.18 ฿38.42

31.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 CLP 1,889

$1.64 ฿53.5

28.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,747

$1.52 ฿49.51

27.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 CLP 1,762

$1.38 ฿45.10

42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,451

$1.19 ฿38.84

35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,161

$0.70 ฿22.86

84.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,058

$0.56 ฿18.13

110.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 CLP 3,155

$4.58 ฿149

-23.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 CLP 5,917

$16.56 ฿539

-60.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,404

$1.83 ฿59.5

-14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 CLP 2,235

$3.20 ฿104

-22.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 560

$0.88 ฿28.56

-29.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 450

$1.36 ฿44.16

-63.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CLP 1,330

$1.34 ฿43.65

10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.54 CLP 10.4K

$7.84 ฿256

47.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,286

$1.23 ฿39.92

16.26%

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

$19.9K CLP 17.9M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-8.09%

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

$22.8K CLP 20.5M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

1.16%

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

$132 CLP 118.7K

$70.5 ฿2,298

87.21%

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

$13.72 CLP 12.3K

$13.68 ฿445

0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.30 CLP 20.0K

$17.45 ฿568

27.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.30 CLP 34.4K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-7.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.44 CLP 19.3K

$6.96 ฿227

208.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 CLP 5,891

$5.77 ฿188

13.69%

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

$434 CLP 390.0K

$307 ฿10.0K

41.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,501 CLP 7.6M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-41.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 CLP 49.1K

$55.8 ฿1,817

-2.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.30 CLP 29.9K

$26.21 ฿854

27.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 CLP 68.2K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 75.0K

$72.2 ฿2,353

15.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 CLP 427.0K

$430 ฿14.0K

10.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 CLP 339.6K

$239 ฿7,774

58.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 CLP 799.8K

$817 ฿26.6K

8.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 CLP 531.6K

$511 ฿16.6K

15.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,952 CLP 1.8M

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-1.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,428 CLP 1.3M

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-3.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,367 CLP 1.2M

$619 ฿20.2K

120.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

3.60%

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

Last update for San Bernardo: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in San Bernardo versus $430 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 121% higher in San Bernardo, 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 $53.0 in San Bernardo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in San Bernardo vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so San Bernardo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

San Bernardo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Bernardo costs about 30% 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 $1,697 per month in San Bernardo and $1,303 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 $53.0 in San Bernardo and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in San Bernardo, 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 $869, than in San Bernardo at $1,131. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Bernardo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,131 in San Bernardo. 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, San Bernardo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.