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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $920 in Belem versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,413 in Belem versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,906 in Belem versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Belem costs roughly 1% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Belem 33% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.78 R$24.63

$2.08 ฿69.5

129.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.78 R$102

$19.61 ฿655

0.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 R$35.73

$5.67 ฿189

22.40%

Cappuccino

$2.01 R$10.38

$1.81 ฿60.3

11.05%

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

$1.03 R$5.31

$0.77 ฿25.65

33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 R$2.64

$0.35 ฿11.53

45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 R$7.81

$2.21 ฿73.9

-31.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 R$11.81

$3.79 ฿127

-39.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.66

$2.05 ฿68.4

-37.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 R$12.41

$1.51 ฿50.6

59.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.65

$1.40 ฿46.69

-7.86%

Eggs

$2.09 R$10.77

$2.26 ฿75.4

-7.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.12 R$47.01

$16.19 ฿540

-43.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 R$22.96

$2.90 ฿96.7

53.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 R$39.10

$9.42 ฿314

-19.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 R$11.47

$2.68 ฿89.4

-16.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.10

$1.09 ฿36.37

26.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.43

$1.62 ฿54.0

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.61

$1.46 ฿48.74

14.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.23

$1.28 ฿42.65

-20.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 R$3.12

$1.06 ฿35.31

-42.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 R$6.62

$0.72 ฿23.94

79.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R$7.14

$0.53 ฿17.56

160.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 R$13.80

$4.23 ฿141

-36.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 R$49.83

$18.29 ฿611

-47.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R$7.29

$1.63 ฿54.4

-13.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 R$24.85

$2.90 ฿96.8

66.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.52

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.74 R$174

$53.8 ฿1,795

-37.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R$5.95

$1.17 ฿39.14

-1.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 R$6.16

$0.58 ฿19.30

105.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 R$42.29

$2.39 ฿79.6

243.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R$6.46

$1.45 ฿48.41

-13.79%

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

$22.8K R$117.6K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

8.61%

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

$31.6K R$162.8K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

19.60%

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

$98.3 R$506

$63.7 ฿2,125

54.45%

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

$11.06 R$57.0

$12.89 ฿430

-14.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.50 R$157

$20.52 ฿685

48.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.09 R$109

$39.02 ฿1,302

-45.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.56 R$199

$3.92 ฿131

883.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 R$39.49

$6.58 ฿220

16.57%

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

$112 R$576

$784 ฿26.2K

-85.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,359 R$17.3K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-77.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.67 R$163

$55.1 ฿1,840

-42.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 R$224

$24.74 ฿826

75.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 R$421

$94.1 ฿3,142

-13.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.4 R$337

$74.0 ฿2,469

-11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 R$2,733

$490 ฿16.4K

8.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 R$1,415

$288 ฿9,620

-4.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 R$4,429

$891 ฿29.8K

-3.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 R$2,665

$521 ฿17.4K

-0.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,952 R$10.1K

$1,974 ฿65.9K

-1.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,408 R$7,255

$1,444 ฿48.2K

-2.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$405 R$2,088

$602 ฿20.1K

-32.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

5.57

106.10%

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

Last update for Belem: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $531 in Belem and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 48% 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: $20.00 in Belem vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $241 per month, with Belem 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

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

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 48% 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: $531 in Belem versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 59% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $112 in Belem versus $784 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $920 in Belem versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Belem but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Belem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Belem 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, Belem 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 Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.