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: $947 in Arouca versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,653 in Arouca versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,359 in Arouca versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Arouca 29% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.22 TTD 68.5

$1.94 ฿63.5

426.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.7 TTD 601

$18.64 ฿609

381.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 TTD 48.19

$7.82 ฿255

-8.06%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.57

$1.95 ฿63.8

88.21%

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

$1.06 TTD 7.09

$0.85 ฿27.77

24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.20

$0.35 ฿11.58

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.24

$2.13 ฿69.6

-14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 TTD 20.29

$3.73 ฿122

-18.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.67 TTD 17.86

$1.71 ฿56.0

56.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 TTD 18.21

$1.63 ฿53.2

66.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.22

$1.14 ฿37.15

125.44%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 33.78

$1.93 ฿63.1

161.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 TTD 52.2

$16.21 ฿530

-51.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 TTD 69.1

$3.12 ฿102

230.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 TTD 94.7

$10.90 ฿356

29.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 TTD 39.23

$2.75 ฿90.0

112.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.61

$1.21 ฿39.52

117.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 TTD 28.14

$1.62 ฿53.0

159.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 TTD 31.33

$1.59 ฿51.8

194.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 TTD 9.55

$1.40 ฿45.70

1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.13

$1.17 ฿38.17

41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 TTD 12.78

$0.66 ฿21.60

189.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 TTD 9.71

$0.53 ฿17.22

173.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 TTD 38.62

$4.69 ฿153

23.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 TTD 125

$18.66 ฿609

-0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 TTD 14.18

$1.80 ฿58.8

17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.26

$3.23 ฿106

-15.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 TTD 6.97

$1.41 ฿45.91

-26.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.24

$1.29 ฿42.12

-4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.53 TTD 97.3

$7.84 ฿256

85.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.63

$1.27 ฿41.58

-10.24%

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

$34.1K TTD 228.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

60.48%

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

$39.0K TTD 261.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

75.40%

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

$81.2 TTD 544

$69.1 ฿2,256

17.49%

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

$45.98 TTD 308

$14.08 ฿460

226.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 TTD 420

$18.00 ฿588

247.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 TTD 68.8

$5.92 ฿193

73.65%

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

$329 TTD 2,207

$299 ฿9,766

10.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,066 TTD 47.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-52.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 TTD 399

$54.7 ฿1,787

8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.43 TTD 257

$26.77 ฿874

43.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 TTD 969

$85.0 ฿2,776

70.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 TTD 871

$70.6 ฿2,306

84.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $90.0 in Arouca vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $246 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 ($947 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,420 in Arouca and $1,300 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 $329 in Arouca versus $299 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 $19.00 versus $90.0 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.