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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $838 per month in Spanish Town vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,404 per month in Spanish Town vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,970 per month in Spanish Town vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Spanish Town is about 4% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Spanish Town and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Spanish Town 38% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 JMD 1,151

$1.98 ฿64.6

268.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.6 JMD 9,699

$18.80 ฿615

227.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.52 JMD 1,343

$7.75 ฿253

9.94%

Cappuccino

$4.44 JMD 700

$1.92 ฿62.7

131.25%

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

$1.33 JMD 209

$0.79 ฿25.87

68.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$0.36 ฿11.66

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 405

$2.21 ฿72.3

16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 501

$3.66 ฿120

-13.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 JMD 300

$1.65 ฿54.0

15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 JMD 406

$1.63 ฿53.3

58.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.42 JMD 66.5

$1.19 ฿38.99

-64.71%

Eggs

$3.22 JMD 508

$2.00 ฿65.3

61.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 495

$15.98 ฿522

-80.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.98 JMD 312

$3.03 ฿98.9

-34.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.80 JMD 441

$10.86 ฿355

-74.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 JMD 348

$2.76 ฿90.3

-19.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 292

$1.18 ฿38.55

56.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 252

$1.64 ฿53.7

-2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 JMD 288

$1.52 ฿49.68

20.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 JMD 332

$1.38 ฿45.25

52.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$1.19 ฿38.97

62.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 469

$0.70 ฿22.94

324.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 JMD 145

$0.56 ฿18.19

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.76 JMD 1,380

$4.58 ฿150

91.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 JMD 1,796

$16.56 ฿541

-31.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 JMD 244

$1.83 ฿59.7

-15.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 JMD 390

$3.20 ฿105

-22.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 JMD 178

$1.36 ฿44.31

-16.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 JMD 510

$1.34 ฿43.80

141.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.33 JMD 997

$7.84 ฿256

-19.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.23 ฿40.06

4.07%

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

$42.2K JMD 6.7M

$21.6K ฿706.7K

95.35%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$22.5K ฿736.8K

51.03%

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

$162 JMD 25.5K

$70.5 ฿2,305

129.60%

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

$21.92 JMD 3,455

$13.68 ฿447

60.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 JMD 7,998

$17.45 ฿570

190.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,351

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,082

$5.77 ฿189

128.94%

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

$226 JMD 35.6K

$307 ฿10.0K

-26.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,483 JMD 391.2K

$14.6K ฿477.5K

-83.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.33 JMD 4,149

$55.8 ฿1,823

-52.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 JMD 4,008

$26.21 ฿856

-2.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 JMD 11.4K

$85.8 ฿2,802

-15.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 JMD 12.2K

$72.2 ฿2,361

6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 JMD 24.5K

$430 ฿14.0K

-63.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 JMD 19.4K

$239 ฿7,800

-48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 JMD 97.2K

$817 ฿26.7K

-24.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 JMD 59.2K

$511 ฿16.7K

-26.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,160 JMD 182.9K

$619 ฿20.2K

87.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

83.00%

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

Last update for Spanish Town: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $156 in Spanish Town versus $430 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 88% higher in Spanish Town, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Spanish Town versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Spanish Town vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Spanish Town 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Spanish Town, 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 $1,257 per month in Spanish Town and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Spanish Town, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Spanish Town and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $838 in Spanish Town and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Spanish Town costs $838 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 Spanish Town. 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.