Cost of Living Comparison Between San Dimas, CA and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between San Dimas, CA and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,859 per month in San Dimas, CA vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,345 per month in San Dimas, CA vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,831 per month in San Dimas, CA vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Dimas, CA costs about 211% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Dimas, CA sits 109% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.29 $25.29

$2.11 ฿69.1

1098.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$19.75 ฿648

398.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 $9.07

$5.85 ฿192

55.04%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$1.76 ฿57.8

244.89%

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

$3.42 $3.42

$0.74 ฿24.37

362.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$0.33 ฿10.90

748.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$2.47 ฿81.0

180.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 $7.62

$3.88 ฿127

96.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.90 ฿62.4

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.67 ฿54.7

144.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.92 $6.92

$1.35 ฿44.24

412.59%

Eggs

$4.85 $4.85

$2.14 ฿70.2

126.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.54 $20.54

$15.89 ฿521

29.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.49 $14.49

$2.83 ฿92.9

412.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.64 $21.64

$10.53 ฿345

105.51%

Apples (1kg)

$8.32 $8.32

$2.38 ฿78.2

249.58%

Banana (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.07 ฿35.01

216.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$1.52 ฿49.79

307.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.89 $9.89

$1.50 ฿49.30

559.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.28 ฿41.96

126.56%

Onion (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.10 ฿36.17

343.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.54 $3.54

$0.69 ฿22.54

413.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$0.49 ฿16.18

477.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 $11.90

$4.27 ฿140

178.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.22 $16.22

$16.78 ฿550

-3.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.66 ฿54.4

31.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.81 ฿92.3

64.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.90 ฿29.44

121.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.20 ฿39.24

149.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.54 ฿17.78

351.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.5 $59.5

$2.37 ฿77.9

2408.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.43 ฿46.88

-4.20%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

73.59%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

-6.24%

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

$272 $272

$64.7 ฿2,124

320.44%

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

$80.0 $80.0

$13.19 ฿433

506.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 $67.3

$19.44 ฿638

246.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.56 $41.56

$39.45 ฿1,294

5.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 $12.97

$6.62 ฿217

95.92%

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

$1,411 $1,411

$805 ฿26.4K

75.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.4K $37.4K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

147.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 $85.9

$54.8 ฿1,796

56.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.59 $46.59

$25.43 ฿834

83.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$91.9 ฿3,015

3.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$74.7 ฿2,449

89.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$467 ฿15.3K

242.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$282 ฿9,251

355.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 $2,502

$891 ฿29.2K

180.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 $2,148

$521 ฿17.1K

312.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,737 $2,737

$1,985 ฿65.1K

37.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,392 $2,392

$1,462 ฿48.0K

63.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,943 $3,943

$592 ฿19.4K

565.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

5.57

12.03%

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

Last update for San Dimas, CA: August 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in San Dimas, CA versus $467 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 566% higher in San Dimas, CA, 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 $98.0 in San Dimas, CA versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $557 vs $237 – 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

San Dimas, CA vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Dimas, CA costs about 211% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,288 per month in San Dimas, CA and $1,380 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 $98.0 in San Dimas, CA and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 135% more in San Dimas, CA, 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 $920, than in San Dimas, CA at $2,859. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Dimas, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $2,859 in San Dimas, CA. 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 Dimas, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.