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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,577 per month in San Rafael vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,395 per month in San Rafael vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,214 per month in San Rafael vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Rafael costs about 85% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Rafael sits 18% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 ₡5,056

$1.96 ฿63.6

466.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 ₡26.9K

$18.81 ฿611

214.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 ₡4,555

$7.92 ฿258

26.26%

Cappuccino

$3.73 ₡1,698

$1.91 ฿62.2

95.29%

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

$1.99 ₡905

$0.84 ฿27.25

136.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡746

$0.35 ฿11.44

368.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 ₡1,319

$2.21 ฿71.7

31.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ₡2,070

$3.80 ฿124

19.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₡890

$1.64 ฿53.2

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 ₡1,295

$1.62 ฿52.8

75.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ₡1,012

$1.18 ฿38.40

88.14%

Eggs

$2.92 ₡1,329

$2.01 ฿65.4

45.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ₡4,521

$15.89 ฿517

-37.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ₡4,183

$3.01 ฿98.0

204.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.77 ₡6,274

$10.77 ฿350

27.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 ₡2,090

$2.61 ฿85.0

75.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡656

$1.22 ฿39.65

18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 ₡1,913

$1.70 ฿55.4

147.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 ₡1,618

$1.58 ฿51.2

124.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 ₡1,543

$1.32 ฿42.89

156.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 ₡1,419

$1.17 ฿38.01

166.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡443

$0.67 ฿21.85

44.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,301

$0.56 ฿18.21

410.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 ₡2,381

$4.53 ฿147

15.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.81 ₡9,936

$18.20 ฿592

19.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₡1,148

$1.83 ฿59.6

37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,273

$3.23 ฿105

-13.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ₡466

$0.89 ฿28.83

14.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡842

$1.35 ฿43.95

37.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 ₡849

$1.35 ฿43.79

37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 ₡3,534

$8.25 ฿268

-5.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡663

$1.27 ฿41.40

14.17%

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

$37.2K ₡17.0M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

75.90%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

44.63%

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

$92.7 ₡42.2K

$70.2 ฿2,281

32.07%

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

$26.11 ₡11.9K

$13.77 ฿448

89.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 ₡27.6K

$17.60 ฿572

243.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₡26.1K

$41.57 ฿1,352

37.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 ₡11.0K

$6.60 ฿215

266.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 ₡4,491

$5.78 ฿188

70.59%

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

$575 ₡262.1K

$306 ฿9,953

87.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K ₡5.9M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-13.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ₡28.0K

$54.4 ฿1,768

13.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 ₡23.9K

$26.14 ฿850

100.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡57.9K

$84.5 ฿2,748

50.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.8K

$69.4 ฿2,257

57.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₡354.8K

$424 ฿13.8K

83.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 ₡272.5K

$238 ฿7,743

151.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 ₡694.9K

$825 ฿26.8K

84.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 ₡442.8K

$515 ฿16.7K

88.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

103.40%

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

Last update for San Rafael: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $779 in San Rafael versus $424 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in San Rafael versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $243 – 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 Rafael vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Rafael costs about 85% 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 $2,365 per month in San Rafael and $1,278 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 $59.0 in San Rafael and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in San Rafael, 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 Rafael at $1,577. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Rafael it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,577 in San Rafael. 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 Rafael makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.