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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $557 in Barquisimeto versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $939 in Barquisimeto versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,322 in Barquisimeto versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Barquisimeto costs roughly 36% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barquisimeto 58% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 VES 4,124

$1.94 ฿63.5

281.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.54 VES 17.0K

$18.64 ฿609

63.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 VES 5,655

$7.82 ฿255

29.80%

Cappuccino

$1.01 VES 565

$1.95 ฿63.8

-48.21%

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

$1.18 VES 658

$0.85 ฿27.77

38.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 VES 397

$0.35 ฿11.58

102.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 VES 821

$2.13 ฿69.6

-30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 856

$3.73 ฿122

-58.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 VES 850

$1.71 ฿56.0

-10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 VES 1,383

$1.63 ฿53.2

52.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 VES 550

$1.14 ฿37.15

-13.16%

Eggs

$1.62 VES 902

$1.93 ฿63.1

-16.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.10 VES 2,284

$16.21 ฿530

-74.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 VES 2,817

$3.12 ฿102

61.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 VES 3,926

$10.90 ฿356

-35.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 VES 2,734

$2.75 ฿90.0

78.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 VES 547

$1.21 ฿39.52

-19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 VES 548

$1.62 ฿53.0

-39.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 VES 544

$1.59 ฿51.8

-38.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 VES 550

$1.40 ฿45.70

-29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 VES 819

$1.17 ฿38.17

25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 VES 288

$0.66 ฿21.60

-21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 566

$0.53 ฿17.22

92.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 VES 1,713

$4.69 ฿153

-34.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.37 VES 7,453

$18.66 ฿609

-28.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 VES 434

$1.80 ฿58.8

-56.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 567

$3.23 ฿106

-68.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 VES 245

$0.90 ฿29.26

-51.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 VES 2,847

$1.41 ฿45.91

262.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 VES 286

$1.27 ฿41.58

-59.84%

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

$24.7K VES 13.8M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

16.31%

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

$36.4K VES 20.3M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

63.89%

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

$20.08 VES 11.2K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-70.93%

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

$10.08 VES 5,618

$14.08 ฿460

-28.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.41 VES 22.5K

$18.00 ฿588

124.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.57 VES 12.6K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-45.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 VES 2,501

$5.92 ฿193

-24.16%

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

$50.1 VES 27.9K

$299 ฿9,766

-83.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.93 VES 15.6K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-48.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.91 VES 13.9K

$26.77 ฿874

-6.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 VES 28.0K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-40.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.45 VES 27.6K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-29.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 VES 110.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

-53.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$50.7 VES 28.2K

$237 ฿7,752

-78.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 VES 136.9K

$801 ฿26.2K

-69.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 VES 82.9K

$515 ฿16.8K

-71.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$469 VES 261.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-76.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$248 VES 138.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-83.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 VES 105.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

-69.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Barquisimeto: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Barquisimeto and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 225% 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: $31.00 in Barquisimeto vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $201 vs $246, with Barquisimeto 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

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

Barquisimeto and Chiang Mai differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($557 vs $866 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 225% less. 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: $199 in Barquisimeto versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $557 per month in Barquisimeto versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Barquisimeto 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, Barquisimeto 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 Barquisimeto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.