Cost of Living Comparison Between Santarem and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Santarem and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,574 per month in Santarem vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,046 per month in Santarem vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,518 per month in Santarem vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Santarem costs about 83% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Santarem 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

$13.69 €11.98

$1.96 ฿65.9

598.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.83 €35.72

$18.35 ฿617

122.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 €7.80

$7.48 ฿252

19.12%

Cappuccino

$1.65 €1.44

$2.02 ฿67.8

-18.32%

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

$1.25 €1.09

$0.85 ฿28.52

47.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.20

$0.36 ฿11.97

280.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 €2.01

$2.14 ฿71.9

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.10

$3.59 ฿121

-1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 €0.90

$1.65 ฿55.5

-37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 €0.42

$1.57 ฿52.7

-69.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.19 ฿40.05

-5.04%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.71

$1.94 ฿65.1

59.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 €9.69

$16.19 ฿545

-31.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 €6.71

$2.99 ฿101

156.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 €12.25

$10.94 ฿368

28.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.33

$2.71 ฿91.2

-1.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 €1.20

$1.17 ฿39.27

17.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 €1.94

$1.69 ฿56.8

31.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.06

$1.60 ฿54.0

46.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.38 ฿46.56

2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.20 ฿40.47

32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 €0.76

$0.67 ฿22.51

29.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 €0.28

$0.56 ฿18.74

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 €5.09

$4.64 ฿156

25.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 €5.27

$17.62 ฿593

-65.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.10

$1.86 ฿62.6

-32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 €3.37

$3.30 ฿111

16.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.04

$0.88 ฿29.70

164.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.80 €37.45

$19.34 ฿651

121.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 €3.19

$1.36 ฿45.92

168.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 €1.16

$1.34 ฿45.00

-1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 €15.28

$8.21 ฿276

112.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.65

$1.22 ฿41.20

54.10%

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

$34.5K €30.2K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

61.67%

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

$39.7K €34.7K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

76.26%

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

$83.4 €73.0

$70.7 ฿2,378

18.04%

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

$21.59 €18.89

$14.04 ฿472

53.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 €44.50

$17.49 ฿589

190.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.90 €34.04

$42.15 ฿1,418

-7.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 €6.04

$5.92 ฿199

16.72%

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

$438 €383

$309 ฿10.4K

41.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,285 €7,248

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-44.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.1 €75.3

$55.8 ฿1,876

54.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.29 €33.50

$26.11 ฿879

46.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 €86.9

$83.0 ฿2,793

19.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 €81.4

$70.5 ฿2,371

32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 €798

$432 ฿14.5K

111.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 €642

$239 ฿8,040

207.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 €1,303

$822 ฿27.7K

81.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 €599

$512 ฿17.2K

33.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,239 €1,959

$1,915 ฿64.4K

16.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,123 €982

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-23.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,086 €950

$579 ฿19.5K

87.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

6.40%

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

Last update for Santarem: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $912 in Santarem versus $432 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 87% higher in Santarem, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Santarem versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Santarem vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Santarem 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

Santarem vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santarem costs about 83% 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 $2,361 per month in Santarem and $1,292 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 $438 per month in Santarem and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Santarem – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Santarem at $1,574. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santarem it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,574 in Santarem. 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, Santarem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.