🙂A single person spends $657 per month in Santa Cruz del Seibo vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Santa Cruz del Seibo vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,492 per month in Santa Cruz del Seibo vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Santa Cruz del Seibo is about 31% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Santa Cruz del Seibo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz del Seibo52% lower, Chiang Mai31% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Cruz del Seibo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.65DOP 510
$2.10฿69.3
311.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.91DOP 2,530
$19.84฿656
116.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.97DOP 293
$5.79฿191
-14.16%
Cappuccino
$1.81DOP 107
$1.83฿60.4
-1.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69DOP 40.72
$0.78฿25.61
-11.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39DOP 22.77
$0.31฿10.37
25.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.52DOP 149
$2.34฿77.2
7.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.17DOP 246
$3.70฿122
12.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Cruz del Seibo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.20DOP 70.5
$2.03฿67.1
-40.89%
White Bread(500g)
$1.76DOP 104
$1.60฿52.7
10.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55DOP 91.2
$1.42฿46.75
9.15%
Eggs
$1.49DOP 88.0
$2.18฿71.9
-31.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.28DOP 370
$15.91฿526
-60.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65DOP 215
$3.07฿102
18.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.89DOP 288
$9.87฿326
-50.46%
Apples(1kg)
$3.89DOP 230
$2.63฿86.8
47.91%
Banana(1kg)
$1.43DOP 84.1
$1.10฿36.19
30.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.28DOP 193
$1.63฿53.8
101.23%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.18DOP 129
$1.53฿50.6
42.48%
Potato(1kg)
$3.57DOP 211
$1.24฿41.13
187.90%
Onion(1kg)
$2.96DOP 175
$1.13฿37.37
161.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.91DOP 53.6
$0.74฿24.38
22.97%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.65DOP 97.6
$0.50฿16.48
230.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.88DOP 288
$4.28฿141
14.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.69DOP 984
$17.97฿594
-7.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.05DOP 180
$1.70฿56.1
79.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57DOP 211
$2.90฿95.7
23.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Cruz del Seibo
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.94฿31.13
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$55.3฿1,827
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.61DOP 154
$1.23฿40.76
112.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.30DOP 195
$0.53฿17.66
522.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$2.40฿79.3
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.38DOP 81.2
$1.44฿47.55
-4.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.5KDOP 913.5K
$21.2K฿700.2K
-26.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9KDOP 1.5M
$27.3K฿902.1K
-5.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Cruz del Seibo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$95.9DOP 5,652
$64.9฿2,145
47.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.99DOP 1,591
$13.35฿441
102.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.31DOP 2,377
$20.83฿688
93.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Cruz del Seibo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$40.42฿1,336
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.95฿131
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.19DOP 306
$6.71฿222
-22.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Cruz del Seibo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$154DOP 9,051
$787฿26.0K
-80.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,508DOP 324.8K
$15.1K฿499.6K
-63.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Cruz del Seibo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.72DOP 1,576
$56.2฿1,858
-52.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.03DOP 2,714
$24.95฿824
84.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$64.1DOP 3,780
$92.7฿3,063
-30.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.1DOP 4,071
$75.1฿2,482
-8.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Cruz del Seibo
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$484฿16.0K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$287฿9,491
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$910฿30.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$531฿17.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$1,980฿65.4K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,451฿47.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Cruz del Seibo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$605฿20.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11
5.57
97.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Santa Cruz del Seibo: September 6, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Santa Cruz del Seibo versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Santa Cruz del Seibo vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Santa Cruz del Seibo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Santa Cruz del Seibo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Santa Cruz del Seibo or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 45% more than Santa Cruz del Seibo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Santa Cruz del Seibo and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $985 per month in Santa Cruz del Seibo and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Santa Cruz del Seibo and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Santa Cruz del Seibo and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Santa Cruz del Seibo or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 0% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Santa Cruz del Seibo or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz del Seibo, where all-in costs run around $657, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Santa Cruz del Seibo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Santa Cruz del Seibo or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Santa Cruz del Seibo costs $657 versus $950 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Santa Cruz del Seibo compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Santa Cruz del Seibo or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Santa Cruz del Seibo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Santa Cruz del Seibo vs other spots: cost of living compared