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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $776 in Barreiras versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,231 in Barreiras versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,685 in Barreiras versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Barreiras costs roughly 9% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barreiras 42% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 R$26.55

$1.96 ฿64.0

171.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.48 R$132

$18.81 ฿615

40.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 R$30.84

$7.92 ฿259

-21.97%

Cappuccino

$1.80 R$8.98

$1.91 ฿62.6

-5.76%

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

$1.09 R$5.44

$0.84 ฿27.41

29.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.05

$0.35 ฿11.51

74.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.18

$2.21 ฿72.1

-16.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 R$13.40

$3.80 ฿124

-29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R$4.90

$1.64 ฿53.5

-40.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 R$7.23

$1.62 ฿53.1

-10.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.85

$1.18 ฿38.62

-0.85%

Eggs

$2.05 R$10.21

$2.01 ฿65.8

1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 R$40.35

$15.89 ฿520

-49.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 R$17.75

$3.01 ฿98.5

18.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 R$35.66

$10.77 ฿352

-33.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 R$10.71

$2.61 ฿85.5

-17.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.51

$1.22 ฿39.88

6.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.73

$1.70 ฿55.7

-32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.31

$1.58 ฿51.5

-7.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.70

$1.32 ฿43.14

-13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.52

$1.17 ฿38.23

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.67 ฿21.98

10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.08

$0.56 ฿18.32

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 R$10.37

$4.53 ฿148

-54.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 R$43.34

$18.20 ฿595

-52.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.06

$1.83 ฿60.0

-33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 R$10.20

$3.23 ฿106

-36.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.38

$0.89 ฿29.00

-1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.29 R$191

$19.38 ฿634

97.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.48

$1.35 ฿44.20

-18.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.80

$1.35 ฿44.05

-43.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 R$32.14

$8.25 ฿270

-21.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.24

$1.27 ฿41.64

-17.32%

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

$20.9K R$104.1K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-1.43%

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

$28.2K R$140.5K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

25.21%

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

$61.6 R$307

$70.2 ฿2,294

-12.25%

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

$13.29 R$66.3

$13.77 ฿450

-3.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.11 R$95.3

$17.60 ฿575

8.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.77 R$114

$41.57 ฿1,360

-45.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.69 R$108

$6.60 ฿216

228.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 R$31.29

$5.78 ฿189

8.48%

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

$275 R$1,370

$306 ฿10.0K

-10.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,577 R$32.8K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-55.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.73 R$243

$54.4 ฿1,778

-10.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 R$213

$26.14 ฿855

63.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 R$385

$84.5 ฿2,764

-8.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 R$315

$69.4 ฿2,270

-9.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 R$1,578

$424 ฿13.9K

-25.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 R$1,071

$238 ฿7,788

-9.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 R$2,915

$825 ฿27.0K

-29.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 R$2,122

$515 ฿16.8K

-17.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,690 R$8,432

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-17.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,315 R$6,560

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-13.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

118.40%

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

Last update for Barreiras: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $316 in Barreiras and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Barreiras vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $175 vs $243, with Barreiras 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

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

Barreiras is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,165 in Barreiras and $1,278 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $316 in Barreiras versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $275 in Barreiras versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Barreiras gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Barreiras 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 Barreiras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.