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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,591 per month in Turrialba vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,434 per month in Turrialba vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,277 per month in Turrialba vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Turrialba costs about 85% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Turrialba sits 19% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 ₡4,949

$1.96 ฿65.9

465.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.0K

$18.35 ฿617

229.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 ₡4,526

$7.48 ฿252

35.56%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₡1,679

$2.02 ฿67.8

86.14%

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

$1.99 ₡887

$0.85 ฿28.52

134.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡707

$0.36 ฿11.97

341.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 ₡1,365

$2.14 ฿71.9

42.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 ₡2,113

$3.59 ฿121

32.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡918

$1.65 ฿55.5

24.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 ₡1,248

$1.57 ฿52.7

78.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ₡969

$1.19 ฿40.05

82.35%

Eggs

$2.93 ₡1,308

$1.94 ฿65.1

51.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ₡4,491

$16.19 ฿545

-37.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 ₡4,137

$2.99 ฿101

210.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 ₡6,081

$10.94 ฿368

24.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 ₡2,014

$2.71 ฿91.2

66.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₡648

$1.17 ฿39.27

23.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ₡1,938

$1.69 ฿56.8

156.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 ₡1,553

$1.60 ฿54.0

117.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,536

$1.38 ฿46.56

149.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,423

$1.20 ฿40.47

165.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡459

$0.67 ฿22.51

53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,260

$0.56 ฿18.74

403.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 ₡2,335

$4.64 ฿156

12.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.65 ₡9,659

$17.62 ฿593

22.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₡1,096

$1.86 ฿62.6

32.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₡1,267

$3.30 ฿111

-13.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡428

$0.88 ฿29.70

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡827

$1.36 ฿45.92

36.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 ₡818

$1.34 ฿45.00

36.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 ₡3,554

$8.21 ฿276

-2.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡648

$1.22 ฿41.20

18.85%

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

$37.2K ₡16.6M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

74.18%

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

$32.1K ₡14.3M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

42.28%

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

$93.3 ₡41.6K

$70.7 ฿2,378

32.02%

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

$26.42 ₡11.8K

$14.04 ฿472

88.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 ₡26.5K

$17.49 ฿589

239.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.1K

$42.15 ฿1,418

33.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.75 ₡10.6K

$6.88 ฿231

245.20%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 ₡4,543

$5.92 ฿199

71.96%

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

$570 ₡254.4K

$309 ฿10.4K

84.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.7M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-14.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 ₡27.9K

$55.8 ฿1,876

12.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 ₡23.0K

$26.11 ฿879

97.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡56.6K

$83.0 ฿2,793

52.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡48.1K

$70.5 ฿2,371

52.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 ₡334.6K

$432 ฿14.5K

73.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 ₡263.2K

$239 ฿8,040

146.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 ₡679.3K

$822 ฿27.7K

85.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 ₡425.8K

$512 ฿17.2K

86.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

103.40%

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

Last update for Turrialba: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $750 in Turrialba 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Turrialba versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $243 – 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

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

Turrialba costs about 85% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,387 per month in Turrialba 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Turrialba and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Turrialba, 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 $861, than in Turrialba at $1,591. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Turrialba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,591 in Turrialba. 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, Turrialba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.