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

😐 Solo nomad: Santa Cruz is 70.9% more expensive than Chiang Mai without rent, and 77.3% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Santa Cruz is 54.5% more expensive than Chiang Mai without rent, and 76.3% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Cruz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.11 ₡5,562
$2.02 ฿65.3
450.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.7 ₡29.4K
$18.78 ฿608
212.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.68 ₡4,844
$7.67 ฿248
26.21%
Cappuccino
$3.94 ₡1,972
$1.98 ฿64.2
98.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 ₡1,036
$0.82 ฿26.64
152.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 ₡823
$0.33 ฿10.58
396.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.02 ₡1,510
$2.12 ฿68.6
42.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 ₡2,292
$3.73 ฿121
22.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Cruz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.99 ₡998
$1.64 ฿53.2
21.34%
White Bread (500g)
$2.85 ₡1,427
$1.57 ฿50.9
81.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 ₡1,107
$1.19 ฿38.62
85.71%
Eggs
$2.95 ₡1,475
$1.98 ฿64.1
48.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.69 ₡4,850
$15.99 ฿517
-39.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.05 ₡4,531
$3.12 ฿101
190.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.55 ₡6,783
$11.16 ฿361
21.42%
Apples (1kg)
$4.6 ₡2,301
$2.76 ฿89.2
66.67%
Banana (1kg)
$0.98 ₡489
$1.22 ฿39.5
-19.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.38 ₡2,194
$1.71 ฿55.4
156.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.58 ₡1,791
$1.55 ฿50.2
130.97%
Potato (1kg)
$3.55 ₡1,777
$1.34 ฿43.21
164.93%
Onion (1kg)
$3.09 ₡1,546
$1.21 ฿39.23
155.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1 ₡502
$0.72 ฿23.2
38.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.8 ₡1,403
$0.53 ฿17.05
428.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 ₡2,615
$4.72 ฿153
10.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.14 ₡9,581
$18.39 ฿595
4.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.5 ₡1,250
$1.79 ฿57.9
39.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 ₡1,469
$3.21 ฿104
-8.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Cruz
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.03 ₡517
$0.94 ฿30.44
9.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$18.9 ฿612
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ₡909
$1.42 ฿46.08
27.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.78 ₡889
$1.35 ฿43.53
31.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.75 ₡3,879
$7.85 ฿254
-1.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₡734
$1.25 ฿40.4
17.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38K ₡19M
$21.2K ฿684.9K
79.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K ₡16.6M
$21.8K ฿706.8K
51.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Cruz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.2 ₡47.7K
$70.6 ฿2,285
34.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.25 ₡13.1K
$13.72 ฿444
91.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡26.8K
$17.56 ฿568
205.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Cruz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.9 ₡29K
$41.64 ฿1,347
39.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.63 ₡11.8K
$6.9 ฿223
242.46%
Cinema Ticket
$5.9 ₡2,955
$5.8 ฿188
1.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Cruz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 ₡288K
$308 ฿9,963
86.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K ₡6.3M
$14.7K ฿475.8K
-14.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Cruz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.1 ₡31.6K
$55.4 ฿1,793
13.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.1 ₡26.1K
$26.4 ฿854
97.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 ₡63.3K
$85.1 ฿2,755
48.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 ₡52.8K
$71.8 ฿2,323
47.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Cruz
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$763 ₡381.8K
$434 ฿14K
75.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$586 ₡293.3K
$235 ฿7,610
149.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,494 ₡748K
$821 ฿26.6K
81.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$978 ₡489.7K
$498 ฿16.1K
96.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,180 ฿70.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,543 ฿49.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Cruz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$703 ฿22.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.17
5
103.40%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: October 27, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

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