Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Caranavi and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Caranavi: $615 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Caranavi
Learn more

Caranavi Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Caranavi

🇧🇴 Bolivia

$615

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Caranavi 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 Caranavi and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $615 in Caranavi versus $935 in Chiang Mai.

Caranavi $615
Chiang Mai $935

Estimated couple costs with rent: $889 in Caranavi versus $1,467 in Chiang Mai.

Caranavi $889
Chiang Mai $1,467

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,163 in Caranavi versus $1,999 in Chiang Mai.

Caranavi $1,163
Chiang Mai $1,999

Living in Caranavi costs roughly 34% less than in Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caranavi 55% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.39 BOB 16.76

$2.13 ฿72.0

-34.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.03 BOB 109

$18.62 ฿628

-51.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.94 BOB 47.53

$5.60 ฿189

-29.64%

Cappuccino

$1.70 BOB 20.51

$1.66 ฿56.1

2.41%

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

$0.41 BOB 4.90

$0.65 ฿21.82

-36.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 BOB 3.44

$0.30 ฿10.29

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 BOB 10.61

$2.32 ฿78.3

-62.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 BOB 27.61

$3.67 ฿124

-37.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 BOB 8.31

$2.02 ฿68.0

-65.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 BOB 9.76

$1.41 ฿47.49

-42.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 BOB 8.82

$1.39 ฿46.94

-47.48%

Eggs

$0.49 BOB 5.87

$2.37 ฿79.9

-79.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.51 BOB 42.30

$16.52 ฿557

-78.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.08 BOB 13.07

$2.67 ฿90.1

-59.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.42 BOB 41.19

$9.02 ฿304

-62.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 BOB 20.16

$2.40 ฿80.9

-30.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 BOB 6.47

$1.04 ฿35.12

-48.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.48 BOB 5.79

$1.66 ฿56.0

-71.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 BOB 8.40

$1.56 ฿52.6

-55.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 BOB 6.58

$1.24 ฿41.75

-55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 BOB 5.28

$1.09 ฿36.65

-59.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 BOB 6.03

$0.76 ฿25.70

-34.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 BOB 6.93

$0.51 ฿17.34

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 BOB 22.68

$4.12 ฿139

-54.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.02 BOB 36.36

$17.93 ฿605

-83.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 BOB 15.11

$1.62 ฿54.8

-22.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BOB 18.64

$2.82 ฿95.2

-45.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 BOB 3.44

$0.93 ฿31.52

-68.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.22 BOB 99.1

$52.9 ฿1,784

-84.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 BOB 9.80

$1.18 ฿39.69

-31.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 BOB 9.95

$0.17 ฿5.78

388.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.65 BOB 104

$1.81 ฿61.1

377.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 BOB 5.64

$1.47 ฿49.67

-68.03%

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

$8,267 BOB 99.6K

$21.0K ฿708.7K

-60.66%

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

$11.9K BOB 143.4K

$26.5K ฿894.4K

-55.13%

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

$22.97 BOB 277

$62.6 ฿2,110

-63.28%

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

$14.40 BOB 174

$11.60 ฿391

24.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 BOB 223

$20.30 ฿685

-8.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.25 BOB 99.4

$37.88 ฿1,278

-78.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.55 BOB 151

$3.70 ฿125

239.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 BOB 46.46

$6.51 ฿220

-40.71%

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

$85.3 BOB 1,028

$727 ฿24.5K

-88.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,305 BOB 15.7K

$16.6K ฿559.0K

-92.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.90 BOB 192

$53.5 ฿1,806

-70.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.50 BOB 211

$24.80 ฿836

-29.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.53 BOB 344

$90.4 ฿3,049

-68.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.46 BOB 427

$72.0 ฿2,428

-50.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 BOB 5,977

$481 ฿16.2K

3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 BOB 4,095

$310 ฿10.5K

9.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 BOB 7,974

$1,058 ฿35.7K

-37.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 BOB 6,875

$659 ฿22.2K

-13.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 BOB 2,544

$595 ฿20.1K

-64.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.94

5.57

42.55%

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

Last update for Caranavi: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Caranavi

$340 55.3%

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1% 8.8% $30

Groceries & Markets

Caranavi

$90 14.6%

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3% 163% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Caranavi

$56 9.1%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 69.1% $39

Eating Out

Caranavi

$55 9%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2% 38.9% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Caranavi

$44 7.1%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6% 147% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Caranavi

$16 2.6%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4% 219% $35

Getting Around

Caranavi

$14 2.3%

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3% 310% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $496 in Caranavi and $481 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays about 2.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $9 in Caranavi vs $19 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $90 vs $237 per month, with Caranavi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇴 Caranavi

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

03:36 3:36 AM

14:36 2:36 PM

11 h ahead of Caranavi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,569

127,240

💱 Currency

Bolivian Boliviano BOB Bs.

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 BOB = 8.3 USD

100 BOB = 7.4 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to BOB – Bolivian Boliviano Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇴 Bolivian Boliviano (Bs.)

Bolivian Boliviano exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 12.05 BOB (100 BOB = 8.3 USD). 1 EUR = 13.51 BOB (100 BOB = 7.4 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

USD to BOB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Caranavi Chiang Mai 18,550 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

Caranavi
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

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

Caranavi is about 34% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Caranavi. 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: $496 in Caranavi versus $481 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Caranavi – a meal for two runs $9 versus $19 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $615 per month in Caranavi versus $935 in Chiang Mai – Caranavi is about 34% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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, Caranavi and Chiang Mai are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Caranavi wins on affordability, Chiang Mai on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.