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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 1% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.31

$1.96 ฿65.8

273.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$204

$18.35 ฿617

118.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.45

$7.48 ฿252

-14.84%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.56

$2.02 ฿67.8

-6.93%

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

$1.18 R$6.01

$0.85 ฿28.50

38.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.38

$0.36 ฿11.96

138.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.33

$2.14 ฿71.8

-14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.82

$3.59 ฿121

-8.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.08

$1.65 ฿55.5

-39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.19

$1.57 ฿52.7

2.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.20

$1.19 ฿40.02

18.49%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.77

$1.94 ฿65.1

9.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.40

$16.19 ฿544

-41.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.75

$2.99 ฿101

10.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.24

$10.94 ฿368

-36.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.30

$2.71 ฿91.2

-25.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.17 ฿39.25

19.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.85

$1.69 ฿56.7

-31.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.16

$1.60 ฿54.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.38 ฿46.54

-10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.56

$1.20 ฿40.45

7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.77

$0.67 ฿22.50

10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.33

$0.56 ฿18.73

16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.18

$4.64 ฿156

-52.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.52

$17.62 ฿593

-54.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.49

$1.86 ฿62.5

-41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.48

$3.30 ฿111

-31.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.97

$0.88 ฿29.68

11.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$225

$19.34 ฿650

128.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.85

$1.36 ฿45.90

-30.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.04

$1.34 ฿44.98

-41.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.40

$8.21 ฿276

-29.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.71

$1.22 ฿41.18

-8.20%

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

$24.7K R$125.9K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

15.80%

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

$29.3K R$149.2K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

30.11%

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

$71.2 R$363

$70.7 ฿2,376

0.78%

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

$13.29 R$67.7

$14.04 ฿472

-5.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$17.49 ฿588

18.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$42.15 ฿1,417

-39.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$110

$6.88 ฿231

214.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$35.97

$5.92 ฿199

19.43%

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

$480 R$2,444

$309 ฿10.4K

55.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$77.7K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

2.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$293

$55.8 ฿1,875

3.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$208

$26.11 ฿878

56.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$345

$83.0 ฿2,792

-18.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$327

$70.5 ฿2,369

-8.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,081

$432 ฿14.5K

-5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,304

$239 ฿8,035

7.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,916

$822 ฿27.7K

17.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,819

$512 ฿17.2K

8.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.7K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

30.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,561

$1,467 ฿49.3K

14.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,775

$579 ฿19.5K

61.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

137.40%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 62% 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: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $243, with Brasilia 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

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

Brasilia and Chiang Mai differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Brasilia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $409 in Brasilia versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Brasilia versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai 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, Brasilia 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.