Cost of Living Comparison Between Spanish Town and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Spanish Town and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,050 per month in Spanish Town vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,982 per month in Spanish Town vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Spanish Town vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Spanish Town costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Spanish Town and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Spanish Town 24% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.10 JMD 2,528

$2.10 ฿69.3

666.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

$19.84 ฿656

278.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 JMD 1,404

$5.79 ฿191

54.40%

Cappuccino

$5.21 JMD 818

$1.83 ฿60.4

184.70%

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

$1.20 JMD 188

$0.78 ฿25.61

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 JMD 114

$0.31 ฿10.37

135.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 JMD 352

$2.34 ฿77.2

-4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 JMD 483

$3.70 ฿122

-17.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.03 JMD 632

$2.03 ฿67.1

98.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 JMD 581

$1.60 ฿52.7

131.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 250

$1.42 ฿46.75

11.97%

Eggs

$3.64 JMD 571

$2.18 ฿71.9

66.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.62 JMD 1,825

$15.91 ฿526

-26.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 JMD 990

$3.07 ฿102

105.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 JMD 1,596

$9.87 ฿326

2.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 JMD 934

$2.63 ฿86.8

125.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 JMD 606

$1.10 ฿36.19

250.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.36 JMD 1,156

$1.63 ฿53.8

351.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 493

$1.53 ฿50.6

105.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 JMD 517

$1.24 ฿41.13

165.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 JMD 334

$1.13 ฿37.37

87.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 472

$0.74 ฿24.38

305.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 JMD 236

$0.50 ฿16.48

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 JMD 1,454

$4.28 ฿141

116.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 JMD 1,812

$17.97 ฿594

-35.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 445

$1.70 ฿56.1

67.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 JMD 635

$2.90 ฿95.7

39.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 JMD 191

$1.23 ฿40.76

-0.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 500

$0.53 ฿17.66

501.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 JMD 1,019

$2.40 ฿79.3

170.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 JMD 212

$1.44 ฿47.55

-6.25%

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

$44.4K JMD 7.0M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

109.55%

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

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

21.64%

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

$172 JMD 27.1K

$64.9 ฿2,145

165.25%

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

$29.62 JMD 4,652

$13.35 ฿441

121.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 JMD 8,168

$20.83 ฿688

149.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 JMD 2,072

$6.71 ฿222

96.57%

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

$367 JMD 57.7K

$787 ฿26.0K

-53.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,158 JMD 1.3M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-46.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.87 JMD 3,750

$56.2 ฿1,858

-57.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.43 JMD 4,938

$24.95 ฿824

25.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 JMD 12.3K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.2K

$75.1 ฿2,482

37.01%

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)

$630 JMD 99.0K

$910 ฿30.1K

-30.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 JMD 80.9K

$531 ฿17.5K

-2.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,148 JMD 180.3K

$605 ฿20.0K

89.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

5.57

69.66%

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

Last update for Spanish Town: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 90% higher in Spanish Town, 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 $75.0 in Spanish Town versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Spanish Town vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Spanish Town costs about 11% 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 $1,576 per month in Spanish Town and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Spanish Town and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Spanish Town, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Spanish Town at $1,050. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Spanish Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,050 in Spanish Town. 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, Spanish Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.