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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $737 in Caraguatatuba versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,204 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Caraguatatuba costs roughly 15% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caraguatatuba 45% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 R$34.55

$1.94 ฿63.5

255.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.11 R$131

$18.64 ฿609

40.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 R$33.12

$7.82 ฿255

-15.35%

Cappuccino

$1.75 R$8.75

$1.95 ฿63.8

-10.26%

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

$1.06 R$5.29

$0.85 ฿27.77

24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R$3.81

$0.35 ฿11.58

117.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.19

$2.13 ฿69.6

-13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 R$13.89

$3.73 ฿122

-25.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 R$4.41

$1.71 ฿56.0

-48.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.34

$1.63 ฿53.2

-9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 R$5.95

$1.14 ฿37.15

4.39%

Eggs

$1.69 R$8.45

$1.93 ฿63.1

-12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.47 R$27.39

$16.21 ฿530

-66.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 R$14.89

$3.12 ฿102

-4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 R$35.43

$10.90 ฿356

-35.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.21

$2.75 ฿90.0

-33.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.33

$1.21 ฿39.52

37.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.81

$1.62 ฿53.0

-16.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.61

$1.59 ฿51.8

8.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.77

$1.40 ฿45.70

-17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 R$3.44

$1.17 ฿38.17

-41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 R$3.31

$0.66 ฿21.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.37

$0.53 ฿17.22

26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 R$8.92

$4.69 ฿153

-62.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 R$35.49

$18.66 ฿609

-62.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.88

$1.80 ฿58.8

-23.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.41

$3.23 ฿106

-35.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.64

$0.90 ฿29.26

3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.52 R$103

$19.21 ฿628

6.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.31

$1.41 ฿45.91

-24.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 R$3.08

$1.29 ฿42.12

-51.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 R$16.29

$7.84 ฿256

-58.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.33

$1.27 ฿41.58

-16.54%

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

$13.9K R$69.6K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-34.63%

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

$27.1K R$135.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

22.12%

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

$51.7 R$259

$69.1 ฿2,256

-25.16%

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

$11.52 R$57.6

$14.08 ฿460

-18.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.75 R$104

$18.00 ฿588

15.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.48 R$97.5

$41.06 ฿1,341

-52.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 R$70.8

$6.96 ฿227

103.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R$36.70

$5.92 ฿193

23.82%

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

$198 R$991

$299 ฿9,766

-33.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,829 R$19.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-74.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 R$258

$54.7 ฿1,787

-5.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 R$281

$26.77 ฿874

110.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 R$357

$85.0 ฿2,776

-16.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 R$263

$70.6 ฿2,306

-25.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 R$1,857

$428 ฿14.0K

-13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 R$1,037

$237 ฿7,752

-12.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 R$3,853

$801 ฿26.2K

-3.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 R$2,383

$515 ฿16.8K

-7.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,575 R$7,880

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-20.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,153 R$5,770

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-21.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$330 R$1,654

$617 ฿20.2K

-46.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.15

63.00%

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

Last update for Caraguatatuba: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Caraguatatuba and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 87% 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: $26.00 in Caraguatatuba vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $162 vs $246, with Caraguatatuba 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

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

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 87% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $371 in Caraguatatuba versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Caraguatatuba gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Caraguatatuba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Caraguatatuba 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 Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.