Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Barbara and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Barbara and Chiang Mai

😐 Solo nomad: Santa Barbara is 70.4% more expensive than Chiang Mai without rent, and 73.1% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Santa Barbara is 70.6% more expensive than Chiang Mai without rent, and 68.8% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Barbara
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.03 ₡5,520
$2.02 ฿65.3
446.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.7 ₡29.4K
$18.78 ฿608
212.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.07 ₡5,043
$7.67 ฿248
31.29%
Cappuccino
$3.94 ₡1,971
$1.98 ฿64.2
98.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 ₡984
$0.82 ฿26.64
139.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ₡788
$0.33 ฿10.58
375.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 ₡1,526
$2.12 ฿68.6
43.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.8 ₡2,404
$3.73 ฿121
28.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Barbara
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.98 ₡991
$1.64 ฿53.2
20.73%
White Bread (500g)
$2.84 ₡1,423
$1.57 ฿50.9
80.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.12 ₡1,064
$1.19 ฿38.62
78.15%
Eggs
$2.91 ₡1,454
$1.98 ฿64.1
46.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.79 ₡4,400
$15.99 ฿517
-45.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.16 ₡4,585
$3.12 ฿101
193.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.92 ₡6,968
$11.16 ฿361
24.73%
Apples (1kg)
$4.53 ₡2,266
$2.76 ฿89.2
64.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.31 ₡655
$1.22 ฿39.5
7.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.42 ₡1,212
$1.71 ฿55.4
41.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.59 ₡1,798
$1.55 ฿50.2
131.61%
Potato (1kg)
$3.02 ₡1,511
$1.34 ฿43.21
125.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.92 ₡1,461
$1.21 ฿39.23
141.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ₡359
$0.72 ฿23.2
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.83 ₡1,415
$0.53 ฿17.05
433.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.33 ₡2,667
$4.72 ฿153
12.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.09 ₡6,052
$18.39 ฿595
-34.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46 ₡1,231
$1.79 ฿57.9
37.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ₡1,428
$3.21 ฿104
-11.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Barbara
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.01 ₡504
$0.94 ฿30.44
7.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$18.9 ฿612
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 ₡922
$1.42 ฿46.08
29.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.95 ₡473
$1.35 ฿43.53
-29.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.09 ₡4,050
$7.85 ฿254
3.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 ₡695
$1.25 ฿40.4
11.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.1K ₡18.6M
$21.2K ฿684.9K
75.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K ₡16.5M
$21.8K ฿706.8K
50.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Barbara
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$66.8 ₡33.5K
$70.6 ฿2,285
-5.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.29 ₡13.2K
$13.72 ฿444
91.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60 ₡30K
$17.56 ฿568
241.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Barbara
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.5 ₡28.3K
$41.64 ฿1,347
35.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.94 ₡12K
$6.9 ฿223
246.96%
Cinema Ticket
$9.15 ₡4,580
$5.8 ฿188
57.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Barbara
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$572 ₡286.1K
$308 ฿9,963
85.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K ₡6.4M
$14.7K ฿475.8K
-12.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Barbara
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.5 ₡31.3K
$55.4 ฿1,793
12.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.5 ₡25.3K
$26.4 ฿854
91.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$126 ₡63.1K
$85.1 ฿2,755
47.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 ₡54.3K
$71.8 ฿2,323
51.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Barbara
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$752 ₡376.5K
$434 ฿14K
73.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$585 ₡293K
$235 ฿7,610
148.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,537 ₡769.3K
$821 ฿26.6K
87.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$980 ₡490.7K
$498 ฿16.1K
96.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,666 ₡834.1K
$2,180 ฿70.6K
-23.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,661 ₡831.4K
$1,543 ฿49.9K
7.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Barbara
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$703 ฿22.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9
5
80.00%

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

Last update for Santa Barbara: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

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