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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,196 in Barcelos versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,944 in Barcelos versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,692 in Barcelos versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Barcelos is roughly 38% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barcelos 11% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.54 €9.93

$1.94 ฿63.5

494.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.97 €40.41

$18.64 ฿609

151.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 €7.90

$7.82 ฿255

17.39%

Cappuccino

$2.00 €1.72

$1.95 ฿63.8

2.56%

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

$2.00 €1.72

$0.85 ฿27.77

135.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.35 ฿11.58

311.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 €2.77

$2.13 ฿69.6

51.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.07

$3.73 ฿122

-4.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 €0.95

$1.71 ฿56.0

-35.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.63 ฿53.2

8.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.14 ฿37.15

44.74%

Eggs

$3.11 €2.67

$1.93 ฿63.1

61.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 €9.64

$16.21 ฿530

-30.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 €7.10

$3.12 ฿102

164.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.72 €11.80

$10.90 ฿356

25.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.75 ฿90.0

-26.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.21 ฿39.52

19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.62 ฿53.0

17.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.59 ฿51.8

86.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.40 ฿45.70

-2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.17 ฿38.17

62.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.66 ฿21.60

153.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.53 ฿17.22

67.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 €5.53

$4.69 ฿153

37.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 €3.93

$18.66 ฿609

-75.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.80 ฿58.8

-34.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €2.00

$3.23 ฿106

-27.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.90 ฿29.26

152.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.99 €19.78

$19.21 ฿628

19.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 €3.90

$1.41 ฿45.91

221.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.29 ฿42.12

-6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 €15.02

$7.84 ฿256

122.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.27 ฿41.58

53.54%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

75.05%

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

$40.0K €34.4K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

79.86%

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

$139 €120

$69.1 ฿2,256

101.14%

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

$21.75 €18.71

$14.08 ฿460

54.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.42 €35.63

$18.00 ฿588

130.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.64 €33.24

$41.06 ฿1,341

-5.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.05 €6.06

$6.96 ฿227

1.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.41 €7.23

$5.92 ฿193

42.06%

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

$285 €245

$299 ฿9,766

-4.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,824 €5,009

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-61.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.1 €63.7

$54.7 ฿1,787

35.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.92 €33.48

$26.77 ฿874

45.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 €72.9

$85.0 ฿2,776

-0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 €84.8

$70.6 ฿2,306

39.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 €377

$428 ฿14.0K

2.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 €300

$237 ฿7,752

47.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 €766

$801 ฿26.2K

11.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 €628

$515 ฿16.8K

41.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,821 €2,427

$1,975 ฿64.5K

42.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 €1,370

$1,475 ฿48.2K

7.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,117 €961

$617 ฿20.2K

80.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

3.00%

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

Last update for Barcelos: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Barcelos and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelos pays 81% 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: $47.00 in Barcelos vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Barcelos pays 81% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $439 in Barcelos versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Barcelos. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $47.00 in Barcelos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,196 in Barcelos, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Barcelos. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barcelos, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barcelos 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 38% less than in Barcelos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.