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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $938 in Arouca versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in Arouca versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,289 in Arouca versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Arouca is roughly 9% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arouca 30% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 TTD 68.7

$1.96 ฿65.9

419.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 TTD 602

$18.35 ฿617

386.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 TTD 48.46

$7.48 ฿252

-3.88%

Cappuccino

$3.64 TTD 24.54

$2.02 ฿67.8

80.20%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.36

$0.85 ฿28.52

28.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.50

$0.36 ฿11.97

127.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 TTD 12.30

$2.14 ฿71.9

-14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 TTD 21.34

$3.59 ฿121

-11.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 TTD 18.06

$1.65 ฿55.5

62.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 TTD 18.46

$1.57 ฿52.7

74.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.70

$1.19 ฿40.05

121.01%

Eggs

$4.95 TTD 33.36

$1.94 ฿65.1

155.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 TTD 54.6

$16.19 ฿545

-49.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 TTD 71.2

$2.99 ฿101

253.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 TTD 95.6

$10.94 ฿368

29.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 TTD 38.53

$2.71 ฿91.2

111.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.33

$1.17 ฿39.27

119.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 TTD 29.14

$1.69 ฿56.8

155.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 TTD 32.79

$1.60 ฿54.0

204.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.73

$1.38 ฿46.56

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.22

$1.20 ฿40.47

38.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.81

$0.67 ฿22.51

183.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.44

$0.56 ฿18.74

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 TTD 39.12

$4.64 ฿156

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.17 TTD 129

$17.62 ฿593

8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 14.95

$1.86 ฿62.6

19.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TTD 19.23

$3.30 ฿111

-13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 TTD 7.01

$1.36 ฿45.92

-23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.28

$1.34 ฿45.00

-8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.06 TTD 101

$8.21 ฿276

83.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 TTD 7.44

$1.22 ฿41.20

-9.84%

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

$33.8K TTD 227.5K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

58.09%

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

$39.1K TTD 263.2K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

73.36%

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

$79.4 TTD 535

$70.7 ฿2,378

12.34%

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

$46.34 TTD 312

$14.04 ฿472

230.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 TTD 412

$17.49 ฿589

249.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 TTD 67.4

$5.92 ฿199

68.75%

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

$326 TTD 2,199

$309 ฿10.4K

5.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,079 TTD 47.7K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-52.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 TTD 400

$55.8 ฿1,876

6.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.67 TTD 261

$26.11 ฿879

48.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 968

$83.0 ฿2,793

72.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 850

$70.5 ฿2,371

79.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

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 %)

5.38

7.60%

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

Last update for Arouca: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Arouca vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Arouca and Chiang Mai differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($938 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,407 in Arouca and $1,292 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $326 in Arouca versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $89.0 in Arouca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai 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, Arouca 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Arouca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.