Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago de Compostela and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago de Compostela and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Santiago de Compostela vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,174 per month in Santiago de Compostela vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,900 per month in Santiago de Compostela vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Santiago de Compostela costs about 67% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Santiago de Compostela sits 8% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 €11.94

$1.94 ฿63.6

614.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 €47.16

$18.64 ฿609

193.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 €8.31

$7.82 ฿256

23.40%

Cappuccino

$1.94 €1.67

$1.95 ฿63.9

-0.51%

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

$2.36 €2.03

$0.85 ฿27.80

177.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.35 ฿11.60

477.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 €2.61

$2.13 ฿69.7

42.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 €3.15

$3.73 ฿122

-2.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.71 ฿56.0

-32.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.63 ฿53.3

-25.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$1.14 ฿37.18

41.23%

Eggs

$2.97 €2.56

$1.93 ฿63.2

53.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 €8.00

$16.21 ฿530

-42.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 €5.43

$3.12 ฿102

101.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 €14.65

$10.90 ฿356

56.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.75 ฿90.1

-33.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.21 ฿39.56

83.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.62 ฿53.0

-5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$1.59 ฿51.9

78.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.40 ฿45.75

52.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.17 ฿38.20

29.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.66 ฿21.62

78.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 €0.59

$0.53 ฿17.24

30.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 €5.31

$4.69 ฿153

31.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.39 €4.64

$18.66 ฿610

-71.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.80 ฿58.8

-17.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.07

$3.23 ฿106

-25.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 €1.07

$0.90 ฿29.28

38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.88 €30.04

$19.21 ฿628

81.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.95

$1.41 ฿45.96

224.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.29 ฿42.16

-2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.95 €19.76

$7.84 ฿256

192.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.27 ฿41.62

43.31%

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

$28.4K €24.5K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

33.49%

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

$31.2K €26.9K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

40.65%

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

$162 €140

$69.1 ฿2,258

135.12%

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

$21.15 €18.21

$14.08 ฿460

50.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.39 €28.75

$18.00 ฿588

85.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.32 €35.58

$41.06 ฿1,342

0.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.32 €2.00

$6.96 ฿227

-66.67%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 €8.61

$5.92 ฿193

68.92%

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

$349 €301

$299 ฿9,775

16.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,176 €7,040

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-45.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 €66.6

$54.7 ฿1,788

41.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 €27.66

$26.77 ฿875

19.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 €74.3

$85.0 ฿2,778

1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 €84.2

$70.6 ฿2,308

38.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 €629

$428 ฿14.0K

70.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 €453

$237 ฿7,759

121.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 €889

$801 ฿26.2K

28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 €759

$515 ฿16.9K

70.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,181 €2,739

$1,975 ฿64.5K

61.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,224 €1,915

$1,475 ฿48.2K

50.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,974 €1,700

$617 ฿20.2K

219.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

-33.40%

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

Last update for Santiago de Compostela: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Santiago de Compostela versus $428 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 220% higher in Santiago de Compostela, 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 $55.0 in Santiago de Compostela versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Santiago de Compostela vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Santiago de Compostela 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

Santiago de Compostela vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago de Compostela costs about 67% 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 $2,171 per month in Santiago de Compostela and $1,300 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 $349 per month in Santiago de Compostela and $299 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 2% cheaper in Santiago de Compostela – 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 $866, than in Santiago de Compostela at $1,447. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santiago de Compostela it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,447 in Santiago de Compostela. 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, Santiago de Compostela makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.