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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $745 in Atibaia versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,307 in Atibaia versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,869 in Atibaia versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Atibaia costs roughly 13% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Atibaia 44% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 R$28.24

$1.96 ฿65.7

182.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.54 R$141

$18.35 ฿616

50.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 R$29.00

$7.48 ฿251

-24.20%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$10.08

$2.02 ฿67.7

-2.48%

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

$1.20 R$6.13

$0.85 ฿28.45

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.36 ฿11.94

130.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.28

$2.14 ฿71.7

-14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 R$13.50

$3.59 ฿121

-26.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.40

$1.65 ฿55.4

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.24

$1.57 ฿52.6

2.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.90

$1.19 ฿39.95

13.45%

Eggs

$2.83 R$14.47

$1.94 ฿65.0

45.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 R$50.9

$16.19 ฿544

-38.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 R$21.36

$2.99 ฿100

39.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 R$45.35

$10.94 ฿367

-18.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R$8.61

$2.71 ฿91.0

-37.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.18

$1.17 ฿39.18

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.59

$1.69 ฿56.6

-35.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.16

$1.60 ฿53.9

-12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.58

$1.38 ฿46.45

-21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.10

$1.20 ฿40.38

-0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 R$4.81

$0.67 ฿22.46

40.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.81

$0.56 ฿18.70

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 R$10.75

$4.64 ฿156

-54.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 R$38.20

$17.62 ฿591

-57.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R$7.18

$1.86 ฿62.4

-24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 R$10.43

$3.30 ฿111

-38.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.50

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.35 R$196

$19.34 ฿649

98.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 R$6.54

$1.36 ฿45.82

-5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 R$5.45

$1.34 ฿44.90

-20.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 R$33.13

$8.21 ฿276

-21.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.55

$1.22 ฿41.11

-10.66%

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

$16.2K R$83.0K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-23.93%

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

$27.5K R$140.7K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

22.19%

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

$73.5 R$376

$70.7 ฿2,372

3.99%

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

$11.82 R$60.4

$14.04 ฿471

-15.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.70 R$106

$17.49 ฿587

18.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.65 R$111

$42.15 ฿1,415

-48.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 R$90.9

$6.88 ฿231

158.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 R$39.89

$5.92 ฿199

31.93%

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

$287 R$1,466

$309 ฿10.4K

-7.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,033 R$41.1K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-46.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.47 R$237

$55.8 ฿1,872

-16.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.60 R$177

$26.11 ฿877

32.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 R$349

$83.0 ฿2,787

-17.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.37 R$211

$70.5 ฿2,365

-41.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 R$1,397

$432 ฿14.5K

-36.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 R$927

$239 ฿8,020

-24.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 R$4,690

$822 ฿27.6K

11.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 R$3,160

$512 ฿17.2K

20.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 R$9,789

$1,915 ฿64.3K

0.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 R$8,562

$1,467 ฿49.3K

14.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 R$2,506

$579 ฿19.4K

-15.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.8

96.00%

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

Last update for Atibaia: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $273 in Atibaia and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 18% 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: $28.00 in Atibaia vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $243, with Atibaia 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

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

Atibaia and Chiang Mai differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($745 vs $861 including rent). Atibaia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% 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: $273 in Atibaia versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Atibaia – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Atibaia 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, Atibaia 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 Atibaia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.