Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Azores and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,611 in the Azores, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Azores, Portugal
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Azores
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,611
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Azores and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Azores and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,611 per month in the Azores vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Azores $1,611
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $2,369 per month in the Azores vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Azores $2,369
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $3,126 per month in the Azores vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Azores $3,126
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Azores costs about 72% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Azores sits 18% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Azores
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.71 €10.52
$2.24 ฿75.7
422.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.92 €42.15
$19.00 ฿642
146.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.52 €8.55
$5.55 ฿188
71.53%
Cappuccino
$2.16 €1.94
$1.67 ฿56.6
29.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.73
$0.64 ฿21.56
201.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 €1.28
$0.31 ฿10.32
361.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.25 €2.02
$2.36 ฿79.6
-4.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 €3.16
$3.66 ฿124
-3.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Azores
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 €0.94
$1.95 ฿65.8
-46.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 €1.38
$1.44 ฿48.51
6.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 €1.44
$1.33 ฿45.07
21.05%
Eggs
$2.98 €2.68
$2.28 ฿77.1
30.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.46 €10.29
$16.45 ฿556
-30.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.67 €6.89
$2.78 ฿94.0
175.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.24 €12.80
$9.31 ฿314
52.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 €2.05
$2.35 ฿79.5
-2.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 €1.27
$0.97 ฿32.82
45.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.79 €1.61
$1.60 ฿53.9
11.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.53 €2.28
$1.50 ฿50.7
68.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.28 ฿43.15
17.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.84 €1.66
$1.10 ฿37.22
67.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.39
$0.71 ฿23.84
118.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 €0.77
$0.49 ฿16.38
75.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.19 €5.56
$4.14 ฿140
49.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.14 €4.61
$17.52 ฿592
-70.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.61 ฿54.5
-19.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 €2.07
$2.78 ฿94.0
-16.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Azores
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.29 €2.05
$0.87 ฿29.33
163.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.46 €38.14
$54.1 ฿1,827
-21.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.09 €3.67
$1.16 ฿39.08
252.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 €0.77
$0.53 ฿17.82
62.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.57 €15.78
$2.42 ฿81.8
626.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.78
$1.45 ฿48.93
37.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K €30.9K
$21.1K ฿711.2K
63.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.5K €35.5K
$26.9K ฿909.8K
46.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Azores
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$135 €121
$62.2 ฿2,100
116.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.13 €18.98
$12.17 ฿411
73.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.30 €37.10
$20.12 ฿680
105.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Azores
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €40.10
$37.31 ฿1,260
19.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.35 €15.58
$3.77 ฿127
360.21%
Cinema Ticket
$8.48 €7.62
$6.49 ฿219
30.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Azores
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$471 €423
$736 ฿24.9K
-35.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,351 €7,502
$14.8K ฿498.6K
-43.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Azores
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.9 €66.3
$53.4 ฿1,802
38.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.73 €34.79
$24.64 ฿832
57.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.6 €83.2
$91.5 ฿3,089
1.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.2 €82.8
$71.9 ฿2,429
28.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Azores
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$944 €848
$482 ฿16.3K
95.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$734 €659
$309 ฿10.4K
137.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,457 €1,309
$1,006 ฿34.0K
44.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,050
$633 ฿21.4K
84.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,049 €2,739
$2,363 ฿79.8K
29.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,337 €2,100
$1,589 ฿53.7K
47.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Azores
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$590 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.01
5.57
-10.05%

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

Last update for the Azores: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Azores
$734
Chiang Mai
$309 57.9% $425
Groceries & Markets
Azores
$245
Chiang Mai
$234 4.5% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Azores
$197
Chiang Mai
$94 52.1% $103
Eating Out
Azores
$180
Chiang Mai
$78 56.9% $102
Clothing & Footwear
Azores
$134
Chiang Mai
$109 18.8% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Azores
$62
Chiang Mai
$50 18.4% $11
Getting Around
Azores
$60
Chiang Mai
$61 2.3% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $944 in the Azores versus $482 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 $47 in the Azores versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Azores
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
20:22 8:22 PM
04:22 4:22 AM
8 h ahead of the Azores
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
236,657
127,240
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Azores Chiang Mai 11,480 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Azores
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Azores vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiang Mai cheaper than the Azores?
Yes – Azores is pricier by about 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,417 per month in the Azores and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $944 in the Azores.
How do food prices compare in the Azores and in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 5% more in the Azores, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in the Azores or in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in the Azores and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in the Azores or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,611 in the Azores and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Azores vs other spots: cost of living compared

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