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 $1,223 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,467 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Pedro Sula costs about 29% 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 11% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 HNL 205

$2.08 ฿69.2

267.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.69 HNL 904

$19.64 ฿651

71.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 HNL 251

$5.65 ฿188

65.31%

Cappuccino

$2.42 HNL 65.0

$1.81 ฿59.9

33.70%

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

$1.08 HNL 28.93

$0.71 ฿23.66

52.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 HNL 20.87

$0.32 ฿10.48

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 HNL 50.5

$2.24 ฿74.2

-16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 HNL 93.8

$3.63 ฿121

-3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 HNL 39.31

$1.96 ฿65.0

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 HNL 52.8

$1.50 ฿49.83

31.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 HNL 43.42

$1.34 ฿44.32

20.90%

Eggs

$2.30 HNL 61.8

$2.26 ฿75.1

1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 HNL 235

$16.26 ฿539

-46.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 HNL 182

$2.95 ฿98.0

130.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 HNL 248

$9.94 ฿330

-6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 HNL 97.2

$2.57 ฿85.3

40.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 HNL 32.76

$1.06 ฿35.04

15.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 HNL 88.4

$1.61 ฿53.5

104.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 HNL 43.94

$1.52 ฿50.4

7.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 HNL 65.2

$1.27 ฿42.14

91.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 HNL 61.4

$1.07 ฿35.37

114.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 HNL 39.24

$0.72 ฿23.89

102.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 HNL 45.02

$0.51 ฿16.87

229.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 HNL 78.1

$4.19 ฿139

-30.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 HNL 348

$17.87 ฿593

-27.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 HNL 21.38

$1.69 ฿56.2

-52.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 HNL 36.17

$2.84 ฿94.1

-52.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 HNL 16.91

$0.93 ฿30.70

-32.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.42 HNL 950

$53.9 ฿1,787

-34.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 HNL 76.0

$1.23 ฿40.95

130.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 HNL 48.83

$0.58 ฿19.13

213.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.20 HNL 301

$2.42 ฿80.4

362.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 HNL 26.55

$1.41 ฿46.84

-29.79%

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

$23.3K HNL 625.1K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

8.64%

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

$24.4K HNL 654.3K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-10.78%

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

$128 HNL 3,439

$63.7 ฿2,112

101.29%

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

$11.18 HNL 300

$12.85 ฿426

-13.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.78 HNL 1,148

$20.22 ฿671

111.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 HNL 1,008

$38.74 ฿1,285

-3.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.89 HNL 373

$3.97 ฿132

249.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 HNL 155

$6.74 ฿223

-14.39%

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

$149 HNL 4,009

$778 ฿25.8K

-80.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,150 HNL 84.5K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-78.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 HNL 1,984

$54.3 ฿1,801

36.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.87 HNL 1,070

$25.45 ฿844

56.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 HNL 2,090

$94.3 ฿3,129

-17.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 HNL 2,034

$73.4 ฿2,436

3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 HNL 14.8K

$490 ฿16.2K

12.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 HNL 11.1K

$289 ฿9,596

43.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 HNL 21.3K

$894 ฿29.6K

-11.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 HNL 19.1K

$517 ฿17.1K

37.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$995 HNL 26.7K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-49.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$430 HNL 11.5K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-70.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 HNL 16.1K

$602 ฿20.0K

-0.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.33

5.57

121.36%

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

Last update for San Pedro Sula: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in San Pedro Sula 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 0% 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 $34.00 in San Pedro Sula versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $240 – 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 29% 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 $1,834 per month in San Pedro Sula 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.

Kindergarten costs $149 per month in San Pedro Sula and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $947, than in San Pedro Sula at $1,223. 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 $947 versus $1,223 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.