Cost of Living Comparison Between Boa Vista and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Boa Vista and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $841 per month in Boa Vista vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Boa Vista vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,804 per month in Boa Vista vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Boa Vista is about 3% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Boa Vista and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Boa Vista 37% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 R$27.65

$1.98 ฿64.3

175.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 R$139

$18.80 ฿612

46.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$31.31

$7.75 ฿252

-20.13%

Cappuccino

$1.81 R$9.17

$1.92 ฿62.5

-5.73%

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

$1.07 R$5.41

$0.79 ฿25.79

35.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.16

$0.36 ฿11.62

72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.28

$2.21 ฿72.1

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.54

$3.66 ฿119

-27.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.06

$1.65 ฿53.8

-39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.31

$1.63 ฿53.2

-11.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.39

$1.19 ฿38.86

-10.92%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.30

$2.00 ฿65.1

21.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 R$44.61

$15.98 ฿520

-44.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 R$18.95

$3.03 ฿98.5

23.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 R$56.9

$10.86 ฿354

3.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 R$10.50

$2.76 ฿90.0

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.18 ฿38.42

-6.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.84

$1.64 ฿53.5

-5.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.42

$1.52 ฿49.51

-3.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.45

$1.38 ฿45.10

-36.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.78

$1.19 ฿38.84

-21.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.76

$0.70 ฿22.86

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.12

$0.56 ฿18.13

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 R$10.72

$4.58 ฿149

-53.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.45 R$88.3

$16.56 ฿539

5.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.20

$1.83 ฿59.5

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 R$10.09

$3.20 ฿104

-37.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.40

$0.88 ฿28.56

-1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.84 R$192

$18.72 ฿610

102.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.60

$1.36 ฿44.16

-18.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.62

$1.34 ฿43.65

-47.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 R$32.78

$7.84 ฿256

-17.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.55

$1.23 ฿39.92

-10.57%

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

$20.9K R$106.0K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-3.16%

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

$28.1K R$142.4K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

24.74%

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

$59.5 R$301

$70.5 ฿2,298

-15.69%

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

$20.33 R$103

$13.68 ฿445

48.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.53 R$144

$17.45 ฿568

63.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.98 R$152

$41.33 ฿1,346

-27.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.83 R$111

$6.96 ฿227

213.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 R$27.06

$5.77 ฿188

-7.45%

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

$265 R$1,341

$307 ฿10.0K

-13.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,539 R$33.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-55.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.41 R$245

$55.8 ฿1,817

-13.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.75 R$211

$26.21 ฿854

59.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 R$381

$85.8 ฿2,793

-12.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 R$327

$72.2 ฿2,353

-10.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 R$1,569

$430 ฿14.0K

-27.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 R$1,207

$239 ฿7,774

-0.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 R$2,993

$817 ฿26.6K

-27.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 R$2,205

$511 ฿16.6K

-14.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 R$3,907

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-61.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$767 R$3,884

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-48.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 R$3,153

$619 ฿20.2K

0.64%

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 Boa Vista: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Boa Vista versus $430 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 1% higher in Boa Vista, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Boa Vista versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Boa Vista vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Boa Vista 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

Boa Vista vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Boa Vista, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,261 per month in Boa Vista and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $841 in Boa Vista and $869 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 102% less in Boa Vista. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $841 in Boa Vista and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boa Vista costs $841 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Boa Vista. 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.