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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in San Fernando vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,005 per month in San Fernando vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,794 per month in San Fernando vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Fernando costs about 43% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Fernando and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – San Fernando 9% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.40 TTD 70.1

$2.04 ฿68.4

409.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 TTD 399

$18.71 ฿626

215.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TTD 50.9

$7.86 ฿263

-4.07%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.82

$2.03 ฿67.9

81.28%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.34

$0.80 ฿26.71

36.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.18

$0.35 ฿11.71

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 TTD 12.30

$2.14 ฿71.7

-14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 TTD 16.73

$3.67 ฿123

-32.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 TTD 13.72

$1.73 ฿57.8

17.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 TTD 15.80

$1.57 ฿52.5

49.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.71

$1.20 ฿40.10

119.17%

Eggs

$3.83 TTD 25.83

$1.97 ฿66.0

94.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 TTD 54.6

$16.23 ฿543

-50.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 TTD 70.5

$3.06 ฿102

241.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 TTD 58.7

$10.80 ฿361

-19.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 TTD 39.97

$2.77 ฿92.6

113.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 TTD 16.75

$1.17 ฿39.05

111.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 TTD 29.41

$1.71 ฿57.1

154.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 TTD 31.51

$1.59 ฿53.3

193.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 TTD 8.35

$1.39 ฿46.63

-10.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.13

$1.16 ฿38.67

-34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 TTD 10.06

$0.66 ฿22.11

125.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.85

$0.52 ฿17.35

123.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 TTD 38.36

$4.65 ฿155

22.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.35 TTD 117

$17.78 ฿595

-2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 TTD 10.24

$1.79 ฿59.8

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 TTD 18.27

$3.34 ฿112

-18.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 TTD 3.09

$0.91 ฿30.35

-49.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.31 TTD 299

$18.64 ฿624

137.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 TTD 5.76

$1.41 ฿47.17

-39.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 TTD 5.77

$1.34 ฿44.82

-35.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.56 TTD 98.2

$8.11 ฿271

79.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 TTD 6.68

$1.23 ฿41.27

-19.51%

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

$34.4K TTD 232.1K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

60.52%

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

$38.2K TTD 257.8K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

75.15%

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

$44.86 TTD 303

$71.3 ฿2,386

-37.11%

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

$42.88 TTD 289

$14.01 ฿469

206.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.00 TTD 304

$17.93 ฿600

150.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 TTD 316

$40.82 ฿1,365

14.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 TTD 58.2

$6.88 ฿230

25.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 TTD 59.4

$5.72 ฿191

53.85%

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

$325 TTD 2,195

$308 ฿10.3K

5.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,224 TTD 15.0K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-84.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.93 TTD 296

$55.8 ฿1,865

-21.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 TTD 247

$26.04 ฿871

40.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 605

$84.8 ฿2,837

5.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 TTD 610

$71.0 ฿2,375

27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 TTD 3,596

$423 ฿14.2K

25.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 TTD 2,355

$242 ฿8,110

43.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 TTD 6,583

$797 ฿26.7K

22.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 TTD 4,688

$507 ฿17.0K

37.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,976 TTD 13.3K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

3.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 TTD 10.0K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

1.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,030 TTD 6,947

$595 ฿19.9K

73.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

7.60%

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

Last update for San Fernando: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in San Fernando 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 73% higher in San Fernando, 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 $59.0 in San Fernando versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 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

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

San Fernando costs about 43% 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 $1,826 per month in San Fernando 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.

Kindergarten costs $325 per month in San Fernando and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in San Fernando, 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 San Fernando at $1,217. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Fernando it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,217 in San Fernando. 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 Fernando makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.