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 $1,133 per month in San Bernardo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,747 per month in San Bernardo vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,360 per month in San Bernardo vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Bernardo costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Bernardo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – San Bernardo 15% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.65 CLP 9,469

$1.96 ฿64.0

443.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 CLP 47.7K

$18.81 ฿615

184.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 CLP 7,460

$7.92 ฿259

5.93%

Cappuccino

$3.29 CLP 2,926

$1.91 ฿62.6

72.25%

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

$0.87 CLP 778

$0.84 ฿27.41

3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CLP 1,163

$0.35 ฿11.51

274.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 CLP 2,953

$2.21 ฿72.1

50.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 CLP 3,911

$3.80 ฿124

15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CLP 1,030

$1.64 ฿53.5

-29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,345

$1.62 ฿53.1

-6.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 CLP 1,852

$1.18 ฿38.62

76.27%

Eggs

$4.10 CLP 3,649

$2.01 ฿65.8

103.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 CLP 9,367

$15.89 ฿520

-33.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 CLP 6,024

$3.01 ฿98.5

125.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 CLP 9,801

$10.77 ฿352

2.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,779

$2.61 ฿85.5

-23.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,390

$1.22 ฿39.88

27.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,873

$1.70 ฿55.7

24.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,714

$1.58 ฿51.5

22.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,657

$1.32 ฿43.14

40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,507

$1.17 ฿38.23

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CLP 1,199

$0.67 ฿21.98

101.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,088

$0.56 ฿18.32

117.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 CLP 2,984

$4.53 ฿148

-25.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 CLP 6,048

$18.20 ฿595

-62.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,365

$1.83 ฿60.0

-15.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CLP 2,309

$3.23 ฿106

-19.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 560

$0.89 ฿29.00

-29.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 451

$1.35 ฿44.20

-62.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CLP 1,245

$1.35 ฿44.05

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.40 CLP 10.1K

$8.25 ฿270

38.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,267

$1.27 ฿41.64

11.81%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-8.72%

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

$22.3K CLP 19.8M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-0.85%

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

$130 CLP 115.4K

$70.2 ฿2,294

85.05%

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

$13.51 CLP 12.0K

$13.77 ฿450

-1.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.15 CLP 19.7K

$17.60 ฿575

25.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.06 CLP 33.8K

$41.57 ฿1,360

-8.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.01 CLP 18.7K

$6.60 ฿216

218.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 CLP 5,593

$5.78 ฿189

8.82%

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

$440 CLP 390.8K

$306 ฿10.0K

43.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,722 CLP 7.8M

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-41.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CLP 48.8K

$54.4 ฿1,778

0.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.33 CLP 28.8K

$26.14 ฿855

23.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 CLP 68.6K

$84.5 ฿2,764

-8.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 CLP 74.0K

$69.4 ฿2,270

19.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 CLP 419.9K

$424 ฿13.9K

11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 331.8K

$238 ฿7,788

56.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 CLP 789.3K

$825 ฿27.0K

7.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 CLP 528.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

15.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,050 CLP 1.8M

$2,049 ฿67.0K

0.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 CLP 1.3M

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-0.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,382 CLP 1.2M

$635 ฿20.8K

117.57%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $472 in San Bernardo versus $424 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 118% 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 $54.0 in San Bernardo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in San Bernardo vs $243 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 33% 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 $1,700 per month in San Bernardo and $1,278 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 $54.0 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in San Bernardo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in San Bernardo at $1,133. 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 $852 versus $1,133 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.