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 $853 per month in Cabo Frio vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,330 per month in Cabo Frio vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,806 per month in Cabo Frio vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cabo Frio and Chiang Mai have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 R$36.29

$2.04 ฿68.2

250.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.38 R$144

$18.71 ฿624

51.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.23 R$31.61

$7.86 ฿262

-20.74%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.76

$2.03 ฿67.7

-5.42%

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

$1.34 R$6.79

$0.80 ฿26.64

67.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.80

$0.35 ฿11.68

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.86

$2.14 ฿71.5

-18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.62

$3.67 ฿122

-26.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.66

$1.73 ฿57.6

-35.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.66

$1.57 ฿52.4

8.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.52

$1.20 ฿39.99

23.33%

Eggs

$1.92 R$9.76

$1.97 ฿65.8

-2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 R$41.05

$16.23 ฿541

-50.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 R$17.95

$3.06 ฿102

15.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 R$41.17

$10.80 ฿360

-24.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$11.86

$2.77 ฿92.3

-15.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.14

$1.17 ฿38.94

36.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.37

$1.71 ฿57.0

-15.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.57

$1.59 ฿53.2

-6.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.30

$1.39 ฿46.51

-10.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.62

$1.16 ฿38.56

-4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 R$3.41

$0.66 ฿22.05

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.90

$0.52 ฿17.31

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 R$9.94

$4.65 ฿155

-57.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 R$30.44

$17.78 ฿593

-66.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.16

$1.79 ฿59.6

-32.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 R$10.73

$3.34 ฿111

-36.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 R$5.98

$0.91 ฿30.27

29.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 R$199

$18.64 ฿622

110.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.42

$1.41 ฿47.04

-24.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.60

$1.34 ฿44.70

-47.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 R$38.45

$8.11 ฿270

-6.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.38

$1.23 ฿41.16

-13.82%

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

$20.6K R$104.4K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

-4.01%

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

$27.5K R$139.5K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

25.97%

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

$103 R$523

$71.3 ฿2,379

44.62%

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

$12.18 R$61.8

$14.01 ฿467

-13.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.72 R$95.0

$17.93 ฿598

4.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.64 R$115

$40.82 ฿1,362

-44.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 R$112

$6.88 ฿230

220.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 R$31.98

$5.72 ฿191

10.14%

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

$546 R$2,771

$308 ฿10.3K

77.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.3K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-20.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.23 R$229

$55.8 ฿1,860

-18.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 R$214

$26.04 ฿869

62.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 R$392

$84.8 ฿2,829

-8.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 R$306

$71.0 ฿2,368

-15.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 R$1,591

$423 ฿14.1K

-25.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 R$1,118

$242 ฿8,088

-9.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 R$3,000

$797 ฿26.6K

-25.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 R$2,151

$507 ฿16.9K

-16.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 R$1,401

$595 ฿19.9K

-53.59%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $313 in Cabo Frio versus $423 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 115% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cabo Frio versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Cabo Frio vs $244 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Cabo Frio and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in Cabo Frio – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $546 per month in Cabo Frio and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $853 in Cabo Frio and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cabo Frio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.