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 $1,253 per month in San Fernando vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,001 per month in San Fernando vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in San Fernando vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Fernando costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Fernando and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – San Fernando 9% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.29 TTD 69.4

$2.10 ฿69.3

390.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 TTD 399

$19.84 ฿656

198.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.15 TTD 54.9

$5.79 ฿191

40.76%

Cappuccino

$3.80 TTD 25.64

$1.83 ฿60.4

107.65%

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

$0.99 TTD 6.67

$0.78 ฿25.61

26.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.12

$0.31 ฿10.37

145.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 TTD 12.61

$2.34 ฿77.2

-20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 TTD 16.92

$3.70 ฿122

-32.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 TTD 13.66

$2.03 ฿67.1

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 TTD 15.25

$1.60 ฿52.7

41.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 TTD 18.92

$1.42 ฿46.75

97.89%

Eggs

$3.93 TTD 26.50

$2.18 ฿71.9

80.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 TTD 45.75

$15.91 ฿526

-57.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 TTD 67.1

$3.07 ฿102

224.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 TTD 58.8

$9.87 ฿326

-11.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 TTD 37.36

$2.63 ฿86.8

110.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 TTD 16.65

$1.10 ฿36.19

124.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 TTD 24.23

$1.63 ฿53.8

120.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 TTD 28.20

$1.53 ฿50.6

173.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 TTD 4.86

$1.24 ฿41.13

-41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TTD 5.19

$1.13 ฿37.37

-31.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 TTD 10.19

$0.74 ฿24.38

104.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.82

$0.50 ฿16.48

132.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 TTD 38.84

$4.28 ฿141

34.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 TTD 120

$17.97 ฿594

-1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 TTD 10.53

$1.70 ฿56.1

-8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.50

$2.90 ฿95.7

4.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 TTD 3.05

$0.94 ฿31.13

-52.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.37 TTD 299

$55.3 ฿1,827

-19.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 TTD 5.86

$1.23 ฿40.76

-29.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.09

$0.53 ฿17.66

69.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.99 TTD 101

$2.40 ฿79.3

524.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.91

$1.44 ฿47.55

-18.75%

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

$36.2K TTD 244.4K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

71.03%

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

$41.2K TTD 277.8K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

50.90%

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

$44.23 TTD 298

$64.9 ฿2,145

-31.88%

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

$42.55 TTD 287

$13.35 ฿441

218.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.30 TTD 312

$20.83 ฿688

122.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 TTD 344

$40.42 ฿1,336

26.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 TTD 59.9

$6.71 ฿222

32.49%

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

$396 TTD 2,670

$787 ฿26.0K

-49.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K TTD 74.2K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-27.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 TTD 372

$56.2 ฿1,858

-1.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.31 TTD 252

$24.95 ฿824

49.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 605

$92.7 ฿3,063

-3.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 TTD 590

$75.1 ฿2,482

16.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 TTD 3,429

$484 ฿16.0K

5.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 TTD 2,634

$287 ฿9,491

36.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 TTD 6,007

$910 ฿30.1K

-2.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 TTD 5,025

$531 ฿17.5K

40.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,997 TTD 13.5K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

0.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 TTD 10.2K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

4.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,028 TTD 6,928

$605 ฿20.0K

69.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

5.57

3.23%

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

Last update for San Fernando: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in San Fernando versus $484 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 70% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $242 – 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 32% 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 $1,879 per month in San Fernando and $1,426 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 $396 per month in San Fernando and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $950, than in San Fernando at $1,253. 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 $950 versus $1,253 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.