Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Frio and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Frio and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $825 per month in Cabo Frio vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,305 per month in Cabo Frio vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,784 per month in Cabo Frio vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Cabo Frio and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cabo Frio 38% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.28 R$36.27

$1.96 ฿63.6

271.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 R$144

$18.81 ฿611

53.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 R$30.45

$7.92 ฿258

-22.85%

Cappuccino

$1.95 R$9.71

$1.91 ฿62.2

2.09%

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

$1.32 R$6.55

$0.84 ฿27.25

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.82

$0.35 ฿11.44

62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.08

$2.21 ฿71.7

-17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 R$13.85

$3.80 ฿124

-26.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.61

$1.64 ฿53.2

-31.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 R$8.78

$1.62 ฿52.8

8.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.08

$1.18 ฿38.40

20.34%

Eggs

$1.96 R$9.78

$2.01 ฿65.4

-2.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R$38.79

$15.89 ฿517

-50.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.08

$3.01 ฿98.0

20.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.91 R$39.40

$10.77 ฿350

-26.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.43

$2.61 ฿85.0

-11.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.11

$1.22 ฿39.65

33.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.53

$1.70 ฿55.4

-11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.77

$1.58 ฿51.2

-1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.42

$1.32 ฿42.89

-2.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.17 ฿38.01

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.39

$0.67 ฿21.85

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.80

$0.56 ฿18.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 R$9.75

$4.53 ฿147

-56.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 R$39.73

$18.20 ฿592

-56.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.03

$1.83 ฿59.6

-33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.21

$3.23 ฿105

-36.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 R$5.62

$0.89 ฿28.83

26.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.22 R$190

$19.38 ฿630

97.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.58

$1.35 ฿43.95

-17.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.44

$1.35 ฿43.79

-48.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$36.81

$8.25 ฿268

-10.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.55

$1.27 ฿41.40

-11.81%

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

$20.2K R$100.8K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-4.33%

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

$27.1K R$135.1K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

20.65%

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

$101 R$504

$70.2 ฿2,281

44.26%

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

$12.15 R$60.5

$13.77 ฿448

-11.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 R$93.7

$17.60 ฿572

6.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.65 R$113

$41.57 ฿1,352

-45.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.66 R$108

$6.60 ฿215

228.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 R$32.97

$5.78 ฿188

14.53%

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

$546 R$2,721

$306 ฿9,953

78.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K R$57.7K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-21.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.47 R$221

$54.4 ฿1,768

-18.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.94 R$204

$26.14 ฿850

56.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 R$383

$84.5 ฿2,748

-9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$309

$69.4 ฿2,257

-10.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 R$1,585

$424 ฿13.8K

-24.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 R$1,093

$238 ฿7,743

-7.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 R$2,901

$825 ฿26.8K

-29.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 R$2,098

$515 ฿16.7K

-18.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 R$1,395

$635 ฿20.6K

-55.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

126.60%

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

Last update for Cabo Frio: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Cabo Frio 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 127% 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 $29.00 in Cabo Frio versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Cabo Frio vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Cabo Frio 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

Cabo Frio vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,238 per month in Cabo Frio 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 Cabo Frio, 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 $825 in Cabo Frio and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 97% less in Cabo Frio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $825 in Cabo Frio and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo Frio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cabo Frio. 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.