Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,215 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,842 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,469 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Pedro Sula costs about 40% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Pedro Sula and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro Sula 9% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 HNL 204

$1.94 ฿63.5

294.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.10 HNL 828

$18.64 ฿609

66.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 HNL 231

$7.82 ฿255

11.00%

Cappuccino

$2.17 HNL 57.8

$1.95 ฿63.8

11.28%

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

$1.37 HNL 36.61

$0.85 ฿27.77

61.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 HNL 29.52

$0.35 ฿11.58

217.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 HNL 51.6

$2.13 ฿69.6

-8.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 HNL 85.7

$3.73 ฿122

-13.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 HNL 39.14

$1.71 ฿56.0

-14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 HNL 52.2

$1.63 ฿53.2

20.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 HNL 41.31

$1.14 ฿37.15

35.96%

Eggs

$2.51 HNL 66.8

$1.93 ฿63.1

30.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 HNL 238

$16.21 ฿530

-44.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 HNL 159

$3.12 ฿102

90.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 HNL 293

$10.90 ฿356

0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 HNL 114

$2.75 ฿90.0

55.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 HNL 42.01

$1.21 ฿39.52

30.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 HNL 105

$1.62 ฿53.0

143.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 HNL 53.7

$1.59 ฿51.8

27.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 HNL 60.5

$1.40 ฿45.70

62.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 HNL 66.8

$1.17 ฿38.17

114.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 HNL 21.92

$0.66 ฿21.60

24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 HNL 43.21

$0.53 ฿17.22

205.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 HNL 83.6

$4.69 ฿153

-33.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.99 HNL 346

$18.66 ฿609

-30.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 HNL 29.46

$1.80 ฿58.8

-38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 HNL 43.03

$3.23 ฿106

-49.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 HNL 15.50

$0.90 ฿29.26

-35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.20 HNL 991

$19.21 ฿628

93.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 HNL 99.8

$1.41 ฿45.91

165.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 HNL 37.98

$1.29 ฿42.12

10.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.19 HNL 192

$7.84 ฿256

-8.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 HNL 27.95

$1.27 ฿41.58

-17.32%

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

$21.5K HNL 573.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

1.25%

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

$16.4K HNL 435.4K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-26.38%

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

$135 HNL 3,588

$69.1 ฿2,256

95.09%

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

$10.17 HNL 271

$14.08 ฿460

-27.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.79 HNL 1,326

$18.00 ฿588

176.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.17 HNL 1,043

$41.06 ฿1,341

-4.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.81 HNL 554

$6.96 ฿227

198.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 HNL 144

$5.92 ฿193

-8.61%

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

$144 HNL 3,843

$299 ฿9,766

-51.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,288 HNL 87.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-78.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 HNL 1,343

$54.7 ฿1,787

-7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.13 HNL 989

$26.77 ฿874

38.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 HNL 2,225

$85.0 ฿2,776

-1.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 HNL 2,492

$70.6 ฿2,306

32.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 HNL 14.8K

$428 ฿14.0K

29.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 HNL 11.1K

$237 ฿7,752

75.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 HNL 24.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

15.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 HNL 19.7K

$515 ฿16.8K

43.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,031 HNL 27.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-47.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$430 HNL 11.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-70.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$597 HNL 15.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

-3.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

124.80%

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

Last update for San Pedro Sula: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in San Pedro Sula versus $428 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 3% 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 $31.00 in San Pedro Sula versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $246 – 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 Pedro Sula vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pedro Sula costs about 40% 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 $1,823 per month in San Pedro Sula and $1,300 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 $144 per month in San Pedro Sula and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in San Pedro Sula, 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 $866, than in San Pedro Sula at $1,215. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro Sula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,215 in San Pedro Sula. 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 Pedro Sula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.