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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $645 in Aracaju versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,002 in Aracaju versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,359 in Aracaju versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Aracaju costs roughly 25% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Aracaju 52% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 R$25.41

$1.96 ฿65.9

153.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.83 R$112

$18.35 ฿617

18.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 R$27.05

$7.48 ฿252

-29.28%

Cappuccino

$1.61 R$8.23

$2.02 ฿67.8

-20.30%

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

$0.97 R$4.94

$0.85 ฿28.52

14.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.83

$0.36 ฿11.97

52.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.41

$2.14 ฿71.9

-14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 R$13.25

$3.59 ฿121

-27.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.84

$1.65 ฿55.5

-42.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 R$6.67

$1.57 ฿52.7

-17.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.30

$1.19 ฿40.05

-12.61%

Eggs

$1.51 R$7.71

$1.94 ฿65.1

-22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 R$34.70

$16.19 ฿545

-58.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.35

$2.99 ฿101

13.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 R$32.45

$10.94 ฿368

-41.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 R$8.39

$2.71 ฿91.2

-39.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.80

$1.17 ฿39.27

-2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.65 R$3.34

$1.69 ฿56.8

-61.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 R$5.00

$1.60 ฿54.0

-38.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 R$4.52

$1.38 ฿46.56

-35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.50

$1.20 ฿40.47

-26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 R$2.34

$0.67 ฿22.51

-31.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.87

$0.56 ฿18.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.01 R$10.27

$4.64 ฿156

-56.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 R$28.96

$17.62 ฿593

-67.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R$6.77

$1.86 ฿62.6

-29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 R$9.68

$3.30 ฿111

-42.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 R$4.04

$0.88 ฿29.70

-10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.12 R$195

$19.34 ฿651

97.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R$5.58

$1.36 ฿45.92

-19.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 R$5.57

$1.34 ฿45.00

-18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 R$31.54

$8.21 ฿276

-24.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.30

$1.22 ฿41.20

-14.75%

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

$18.4K R$93.8K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-14.06%

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

$26.3K R$134.5K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

16.85%

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

$68.3 R$349

$70.7 ฿2,378

-3.41%

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

$14.32 R$73.2

$14.04 ฿472

1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.84 R$80.9

$17.49 ฿589

-9.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.83 R$96.2

$42.15 ฿1,418

-55.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 R$124

$6.88 ฿231

251.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 R$29.74

$5.92 ฿199

-1.69%

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

$169 R$863

$309 ฿10.4K

-45.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,901 R$25.0K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-67.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 R$263

$55.8 ฿1,876

-7.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.09 R$154

$26.11 ฿879

15.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 R$352

$83.0 ฿2,793

-17.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 R$406

$70.5 ฿2,371

12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 R$913

$432 ฿14.5K

-58.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 R$592

$239 ฿8,040

-51.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 R$3,056

$822 ฿27.7K

-27.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 R$1,077

$512 ฿17.2K

-58.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,268 R$6,478

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-33.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$867 R$4,432

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-40.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 R$2,310

$579 ฿19.5K

-21.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.35

107.00%

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

Last update for Aracaju: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $179 in Aracaju and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 28% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $22.00 in Aracaju vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $146 vs $243, with Aracaju cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Aracaju and Chiang Mai differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($645 vs $861 including rent). Aracaju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $179 in Aracaju versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $169 in Aracaju versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Aracaju gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aracaju and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Aracaju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.