Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,040 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,663 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,285 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Juan del Sur costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both San Juan del Sur and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – San Juan del Sur 24% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 NIO 158

$2.08 ฿69.2

107.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.13 NIO 1,213

$19.64 ฿651

68.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 NIO 207

$5.65 ฿188

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 91.9

$1.81 ฿59.9

38.67%

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

$0.88 NIO 32.30

$0.71 ฿23.66

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NIO 26.63

$0.32 ฿10.48

128.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NIO 52.8

$2.24 ฿74.2

-35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$3.63 ฿121

-44.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 NIO 43.35

$1.96 ฿65.0

-39.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.2

$1.50 ฿49.83

2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NIO 42.64

$1.34 ฿44.32

-13.43%

Eggs

$2.33 NIO 85.2

$2.26 ฿75.1

3.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 NIO 287

$16.26 ฿539

-51.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 NIO 229

$2.95 ฿98.0

111.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 NIO 262

$9.94 ฿330

-28.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 NIO 135

$2.57 ฿85.3

43.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 NIO 21.35

$1.06 ฿35.04

-45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 64.7

$1.61 ฿53.5

9.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.7

$1.52 ฿50.4

43.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 NIO 117

$1.27 ฿42.14

151.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 NIO 78.8

$1.07 ฿35.37

100.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 NIO 36.61

$0.72 ฿23.89

38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.22

$0.51 ฿16.87

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 NIO 99.7

$4.19 ฿139

-35.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 NIO 362

$17.87 ฿593

-44.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.69 ฿56.2

-13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NIO 84.5

$2.84 ฿94.1

-18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.8

$1.23 ฿40.95

34.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 NIO 60.5

$0.58 ฿19.13

184.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 NIO 254

$2.42 ฿80.4

186.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 NIO 49.15

$1.41 ฿46.84

-4.96%

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

$22.9K NIO 837.1K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

6.59%

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

$26.2K NIO 960.8K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-4.02%

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

$60.4 NIO 2,211

$63.7 ฿2,112

-5.17%

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

$10.59 NIO 388

$12.85 ฿426

-17.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.66 NIO 1,306

$20.22 ฿671

76.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.73 NIO 1,126

$38.74 ฿1,285

-20.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 NIO 315

$6.74 ฿223

27.60%

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

$232 NIO 8,493

$778 ฿25.8K

-70.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,167 NIO 225.9K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-57.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,606

$54.3 ฿1,801

31.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 NIO 2,648

$25.45 ฿844

184.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,777

$94.3 ฿3,129

38.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,909

$73.4 ฿2,436

45.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 NIO 15.4K

$490 ฿16.2K

-14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 NIO 14.2K

$289 ฿9,596

34.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 NIO 34.1K

$894 ฿29.6K

4.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 NIO 28.2K

$517 ฿17.1K

49.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$348 NIO 12.7K

$602 ฿20.0K

-42.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.57

84.02%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in San Juan del Sur versus $490 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 Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in San Juan del Sur versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in San Juan del Sur vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so San Juan del Sur 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 Juan del Sur vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan del Sur costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,561 per month in San Juan del Sur and $1,421 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 $33.00 in San Juan del Sur and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in San Juan del Sur – 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 $947, than in San Juan del Sur at $1,040. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan del Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,040 in San Juan del Sur. 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 Juan del Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.