Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Caracas and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,338 in Caracas, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Caracas
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Caracas Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Caracas

🇻🇪 Venezuela

$1,338

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Caracas and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Caracas and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,338 per month in Caracas vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Caracas $1,338
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $2,235 per month in Caracas vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Caracas $2,235
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $3,133 per month in Caracas vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Caracas $3,133
Chiang Mai $1,903

Caracas costs about 45% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Caracas and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Caracas 1% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.98 VES 9,642

$2.29 ฿76.5

379.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 VES 58.9K

$19.64 ฿656

241.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 VES 9,796

$5.61 ฿188

98.93%

Cappuccino

$3.55 VES 3,114

$1.66 ฿55.6

113.86%

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

$1.52 VES 1,332

$0.70 ฿23.40

117.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 1,144

$0.31 ฿10.24

319.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 VES 1,805

$2.41 ฿80.4

-14.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 VES 2,680

$3.71 ฿124

-17.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 VES 2,313

$1.95 ฿65.3

35.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 VES 2,032

$1.41 ฿47.03

63.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 VES 1,624

$1.31 ฿43.62

41.22%

Eggs

$4.64 VES 4,076

$2.18 ฿72.9

112.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 VES 9,083

$16.65 ฿556

-37.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.20 VES 8,074

$2.76 ฿92.2

233.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 VES 10.2K

$9.11 ฿304

27.77%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 VES 6,525

$2.39 ฿80.0

210.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 VES 1,794

$1.03 ฿34.26

98.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 VES 1,931

$1.63 ฿54.4

34.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 VES 2,087

$1.50 ฿50.0

58.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 VES 1,965

$1.29 ฿43.13

73.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 VES 1,958

$1.11 ฿37.03

100.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 VES 1,424

$0.72 ฿24.08

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 VES 2,119

$0.53 ฿17.59

354.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.71 VES 4,132

$4.31 ฿144

9.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 VES 10.4K

$17.95 ฿600

-34.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 VES 1,246

$1.58 ฿52.9

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 VES 1,839

$2.84 ฿95.0

-26.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 VES 448

$0.86 ฿28.86

-40.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.43 VES 26.7K

$53.3 ฿1,780

-42.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 VES 4,459

$1.21 ฿40.29

319.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 VES 2,483

$0.57 ฿18.99

396.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.80 VES 13.0K

$2.35 ฿78.6

529.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 VES 772

$1.44 ฿47.96

-38.89%

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

$24.7K VES 21.7M

$20.7K ฿692.8K

19.28%

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

$39.7K VES 34.8M

$26.8K ฿895.7K

47.98%

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

$21.94 VES 19.3K

$62.3 ฿2,083

-64.80%

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

$11.99 VES 10.5K

$12.11 ฿405

-0.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.39 VES 32.8K

$19.94 ฿666

87.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 VES 57.8K

$37.07 ฿1,239

77.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.83 VES 15.7K

$3.78 ฿126

371.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 VES 5,735

$6.50 ฿217

0.46%

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

$158 VES 138.4K

$793 ฿26.5K

-80.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,066 VES 5.3M

$14.8K ฿494.9K

-59.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 VES 71.6K

$53.7 ฿1,796

51.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 VES 45.0K

$24.62 ฿823

108.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 VES 119.2K

$90.9 ฿3,036

49.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 VES 115.2K

$71.1 ฿2,378

84.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$604 VES 529.9K

$455 ฿15.2K

32.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 VES 373.1K

$298 ฿9,954

42.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 VES 968.0K

$908 ฿30.4K

21.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 VES 755.7K

$554 ฿18.5K

55.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,464 VES 1.3M

$1,931 ฿64.5K

-24.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$683 VES 599.8K

$1,445 ฿48.3K

-52.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 VES 266.1K

$591 ฿19.7K

-48.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

294.97%

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

Last update for Caracas: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Caracas

$425 31.8%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 29.9% $127

Groceries & Markets

Caracas

$339 25.4%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 30.6% $104

Eating Out

Caracas

$192 14.3%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 59% $113

Clothing & Footwear

Caracas

$180 13.5%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 39.9% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Caracas

$79 5.9%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 36.6% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Caracas

$71 5.3%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 32.3% $23

Getting Around

Caracas

$52 3.9%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 17.6% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $604 in Caracas versus $455 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 95% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $67.0 in Caracas versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇪 Caracas

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

02:24 2:24 AM

13:24 1:24 PM

11 h ahead of Caracas

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,274,000 Capital

127,240

💱 Currency

Venezuelan Bolívar VES Bs.S

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 VES = 1.14 USD

1,000 VES = 1.01 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VES – Venezuelan Bolívar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇪 Venezuelan Bolívar (Bs.S)

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 878 VES (1,000 VES = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 987 VES (1,000 VES = 1.01 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to VES in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Caracas Chiang Mai 16,410 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Caracas
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Caracas is pricier by about 45%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,006 per month in Caracas and $1,388 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.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $158 per month in Caracas and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Caracas at $1,338. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caracas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, Caracas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.