Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,177 per month in St John vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,777 per month in St John vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,378 per month in St John vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

St John costs about 275% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

St John sits 138% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.62 $17.62

$2.03 ฿68.4

767.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$163 $163

$18.71 ฿630

772.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.64 $8.64

$7.84 ฿264

10.20%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$1.93 ฿64.9

241.45%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$0.83 ฿28.00

254.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.35 ฿11.80

477.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.31 $6.31

$2.22 ฿74.8

184.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$3.79 ฿128

87.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.65 ฿55.4

72.12%

White Bread (500g)

$5.84 $5.84

$1.55 ฿52.3

276.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.18 ฿39.79

28.81%

Eggs

$6.33 $6.33

$2.01 ฿67.9

214.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 $17.70

$16.16 ฿544

9.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.69 $26.69

$3.03 ฿102

780.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

Banana (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$1.22 ฿41.14

324.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

Tomato (1kg)

$8.69 $8.69

$1.53 ฿51.5

467.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

Onion (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.21 ฿40.86

258.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.06 $5.06

$0.70 ฿23.63

622.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.21 ฿108

85.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.83 $5.83

$0.89 ฿30.01

555.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$18.76 ฿632

643.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.29 ฿43.52

147.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.29 ฿43.59

24.03%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$21.7K ฿730.7K

5.54%

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

$241 $241

$70.0 ฿2,358

245.03%

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

$14.19 ฿478

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 $61.2

$17.42 ฿587

251.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

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

$300 ฿10.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K $13.4K

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-7.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 $99.7

$55.4 ฿1,865

80.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 $60.5

$26.31 ฿886

129.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.59 $49.59

$84.8 ฿2,858

-41.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.04 $49.04

$70.5 ฿2,375

-30.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 $2,172

$425 ฿14.3K

410.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 $1,803

$235 ฿7,919

667.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,047 $3,047

$516 ฿17.4K

490.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K $13.1K

$1,926 ฿64.9K

582.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,988 $3,988

$586 ฿19.8K

580.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

41.00%

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

Last update for St John: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,172 in St John versus $425 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 580% higher in St John, 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 $163 in St John versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 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

St John vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St John costs about 275% 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 $4,765 per month in St John and $1,271 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.

Public transport costs about 643% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 73% more in St John, 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 $847, than in St John at $3,177. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in St John it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $3,177 in St John. 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, St John makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.