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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,647 per month in San Salvador vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,459 per month in San Salvador vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in San Salvador vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Salvador costs about 73% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

San Salvador sits 19% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 $6.93

$2.10 ฿69.3

230.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.17 $43.17

$19.84 ฿656

117.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 $6.86

$5.79 ฿191

18.48%

Cappuccino

$3.61 $3.61

$1.83 ฿60.4

97.27%

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

$1.15 $1.15

$0.78 ฿25.61

47.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.31 ฿10.37

170.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.34 ฿77.2

-12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.70 ฿122

-4.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.03 ฿67.1

-11.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.60 ฿52.7

76.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.42 ฿46.75

-2.11%

Eggs

$3.11 $3.11

$2.18 ฿71.9

42.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 $7.64

$15.91 ฿526

-51.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.07 ฿102

121.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 $10.06

$9.87 ฿326

1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$2.63 ฿86.8

96.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.10 ฿36.19

34.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.63 ฿53.8

76.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.53 ฿50.6

132.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.24 ฿41.13

133.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.13 ฿37.37

196.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.74 ฿24.38

29.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.50 ฿16.48

86.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.28 ฿141

-6.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 $11.92

$17.97 ฿594

-33.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.70 ฿56.1

33.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.90 ฿95.7

-1.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.94 ฿31.13

-64.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.84 $37.84

$55.3 ฿1,827

-31.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 $5.92

$1.23 ฿40.76

381.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.53 ฿17.66

462.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.69 $19.69

$2.40 ฿79.3

720.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.44 ฿47.55

-18.75%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

20.03%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-0.75%

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

$131 $131

$64.9 ฿2,145

101.79%

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

$21.19 $21.19

$13.35 ฿441

58.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.39 $42.39

$20.83 ฿688

103.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.01 $32.01

$40.42 ฿1,336

-20.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.78 $21.78

$3.95 ฿131

451.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 $4.86

$6.71 ฿222

-27.57%

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

$162 $162

$787 ฿26.0K

-79.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,682 $4,682

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-69.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$56.2 ฿1,858

19.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.89 $46.89

$24.95 ฿824

87.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$92.7 ฿3,063

27.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$75.1 ฿2,482

55.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 $905

$484 ฿16.0K

86.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 $775

$287 ฿9,491

169.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 $1,782

$910 ฿30.1K

95.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 $1,375

$531 ฿17.5K

159.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 $2,731

$1,980 ฿65.4K

37.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,853 $1,853

$1,451 ฿47.9K

27.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 $382

$605 ฿20.0K

-36.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

5.57

52.60%

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

Last update for San Salvador: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $905 in San Salvador 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 58% 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 $43.00 in San Salvador versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 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 Salvador vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Salvador costs about 73% 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 $2,471 per month in San Salvador 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 $162 per month in San Salvador 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 18% more in San Salvador, 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 Salvador at $1,647. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Salvador it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,647 in San Salvador. 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 Salvador makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.