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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $753 per month in Barretos vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,222 per month in Barretos vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,690 per month in Barretos vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Barretos is about 12% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barretos and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Barretos 44% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.33 R$31.53

$1.96 ฿63.6

222.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.53 R$107

$18.81 ฿611

14.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 R$27.65

$7.92 ฿258

-29.92%

Cappuccino

$1.48 R$7.36

$1.91 ฿62.2

-22.51%

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

$1.23 R$6.11

$0.84 ฿27.25

46.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 R$2.63

$0.35 ฿11.44

51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$2.21 ฿71.7

-18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.58

$3.80 ฿124

-28.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.11

$1.64 ฿53.2

-37.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 R$8.68

$1.62 ฿52.8

7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.85

$1.18 ฿38.40

-0.85%

Eggs

$2.29 R$11.40

$2.01 ฿65.4

13.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 R$50.5

$15.89 ฿517

-36.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.04 R$20.10

$3.01 ฿98.0

34.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.44 R$42.04

$10.77 ฿350

-21.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 R$10.36

$2.61 ฿85.0

-20.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 R$8.41

$1.22 ฿39.65

38.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R$6.89

$1.70 ฿55.4

-18.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.59

$1.58 ฿51.2

8.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.05

$1.32 ฿42.89

7.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 R$6.87

$1.17 ฿38.01

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 R$4.93

$0.67 ฿21.85

47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.13

$0.56 ฿18.21

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 R$9.11

$4.53 ฿147

-59.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 R$41.44

$18.20 ฿592

-54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.75

$1.83 ฿59.6

-25.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 R$10.27

$3.23 ฿105

-36.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.64

$0.89 ฿28.83

4.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.83 R$193

$19.38 ฿630

100.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R$5.73

$1.35 ฿43.95

-14.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R$2.90

$1.35 ฿43.79

-57.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 R$39.73

$8.25 ฿268

-3.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 R$4.15

$1.27 ฿41.40

-34.65%

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

$22.5K R$111.9K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

6.26%

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

$27.9K R$139.1K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

24.25%

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

$27.00 R$134

$70.2 ฿2,281

-61.51%

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

$5.26 R$26.19

$13.77 ฿448

-61.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.61 R$72.8

$17.60 ฿572

-16.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.50 R$112

$41.57 ฿1,352

-45.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.94 R$109

$6.60 ฿215

232.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.36 R$36.67

$5.78 ฿188

27.34%

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

$321 R$1,599

$306 ฿9,953

4.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,911 R$44.4K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-39.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 R$269

$54.4 ฿1,768

-0.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.74 R$108

$26.14 ฿850

-16.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 R$375

$84.5 ฿2,748

-11.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$319

$69.4 ฿2,257

-7.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 R$1,562

$424 ฿13.8K

-25.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 R$1,092

$238 ฿7,743

-7.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 R$2,927

$825 ฿26.8K

-28.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 R$2,106

$515 ฿16.7K

-17.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,701 R$8,473

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-16.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,196 R$5,957

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-21.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 R$2,825

$635 ฿20.6K

-10.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.17

123.40%

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

Last update for Barretos: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $314 in Barretos versus $424 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.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Barretos versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Barretos vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Barretos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $753 in Barretos, $852 in Chiang Mai – roughly 13% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,130 per month in Barretos and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barretos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Barretos and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $753 in Barretos and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $753 in Barretos and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $753 in Barretos to $852 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barretos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.