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: $538 in Barquisimeto versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $918 in Barquisimeto versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,298 in Barquisimeto versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Barquisimeto costs roughly 37% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barquisimeto 60% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 VES 5,351

$1.96 ฿65.7

273.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.12 VES 22.0K

$18.35 ฿616

64.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 VES 7,275

$7.48 ฿251

33.16%

Cappuccino

$0.97 VES 710

$2.02 ฿67.7

-51.98%

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

$1.20 VES 879

$0.85 ฿28.45

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 VES 537

$0.36 ฿11.94

102.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 VES 1,078

$2.14 ฿71.7

-30.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 1,128

$3.59 ฿121

-57.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 VES 1,111

$1.65 ฿55.4

-7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 VES 1,848

$1.57 ฿52.6

61.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 VES 742

$1.19 ฿39.95

-14.29%

Eggs

$1.64 VES 1,200

$1.94 ฿65.0

-15.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.06 VES 2,965

$16.19 ฿544

-74.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 VES 3,676

$2.99 ฿100

68.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.95 VES 5,078

$10.94 ฿367

-36.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 VES 3,576

$2.71 ฿91.0

80.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 VES 719

$1.17 ฿39.18

-16.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 VES 739

$1.69 ฿56.6

-40.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 VES 752

$1.60 ฿53.9

-35.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 VES 723

$1.38 ฿46.45

-28.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 VES 1,105

$1.20 ฿40.38

25.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 VES 381

$0.67 ฿22.46

-22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 744

$0.56 ฿18.70

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 VES 2,143

$4.64 ฿156

-36.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 VES 9,748

$17.62 ฿591

-24.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 VES 580

$1.86 ฿62.4

-57.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 714

$3.30 ฿111

-70.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 VES 321

$0.88 ฿29.63

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 VES 3,563

$1.36 ฿45.82

258.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 357

$1.22 ฿41.11

-59.84%

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

$24.5K VES 17.9M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

14.80%

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

$35.7K VES 26.1M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

58.63%

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

$19.97 VES 14.6K

$70.7 ฿2,372

-71.74%

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

$10.07 VES 7,354

$14.04 ฿471

-28.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 VES 29.3K

$17.49 ฿587

129.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.92 VES 16.8K

$42.15 ฿1,415

-45.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 VES 3,275

$5.92 ฿199

-24.32%

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

$50.2 VES 36.7K

$309 ฿10.4K

-83.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.49 VES 20.1K

$55.8 ฿1,872

-50.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.55 VES 17.9K

$26.11 ฿877

-5.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.8 VES 37.1K

$83.0 ฿2,787

-38.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.06 VES 35.8K

$70.5 ฿2,365

-30.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 VES 147.8K

$432 ฿14.5K

-53.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.50 VES 36.2K

$239 ฿8,020

-79.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 VES 184.8K

$822 ฿27.6K

-69.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 VES 110.1K

$512 ฿17.2K

-70.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$473 VES 345.9K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

-75.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$245 VES 179.2K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-83.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 VES 137.5K

$579 ฿19.4K

-67.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Barquisimeto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Barquisimeto and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 208% 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: $30.00 in Barquisimeto vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $243, 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 60% in total monthly costs ($538 vs $861 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 208% 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: $202 in Barquisimeto versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $538 per month in Barquisimeto versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 60% 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 60% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.