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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $670 per month in Cariacica vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,024 per month in Cariacica vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,378 per month in Cariacica vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cariacica is about 21% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cariacica and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cariacica 50% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.19 R$15.87

$1.95 ฿62.8

63.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.38 R$61.5

$18.43 ฿594

-32.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 R$21.25

$7.50 ฿241

-42.93%

Cappuccino

$0.89 R$4.40

$1.93 ฿62.3

-53.89%

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

$0.92 R$4.57

$0.78 ฿25.08

17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.75

$0.32 ฿10.42

71.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 R$5.28

$2.15 ฿69.2

-50.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 R$9.03

$3.71 ฿120

-50.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 R$3.97

$1.71 ฿55.2

-53.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 R$7.45

$1.56 ฿50.3

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.30

$1.18 ฿38.06

-26.27%

Eggs

$1.46 R$7.28

$1.98 ฿63.9

-26.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.40 R$36.77

$16.04 ฿517

-53.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 R$15.93

$3.17 ฿102

1.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 R$31.04

$10.94 ฿353

-42.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 R$6.95

$2.63 ฿84.7

-46.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.38

$1.17 ฿37.61

-24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 R$3.01

$1.65 ฿53.0

-63.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.70

$1.54 ฿49.51

-25.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 R$4.93

$1.38 ฿44.34

-28.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.76

$1.17 ฿37.54

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 R$1.86

$0.66 ฿21.25

-42.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 R$2.57

$0.51 ฿16.55

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.63 R$8.10

$4.52 ฿146

-63.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 R$38.34

$18.32 ฿590

-57.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R$4.59

$1.80 ฿57.9

-48.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.31

$3.18 ฿102

-60.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.12

$0.90 ฿28.97

14.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.01 R$189

$19.00 ฿612

100.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 R$4.12

$1.41 ฿45.50

-41.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.54

$1.31 ฿42.15

-45.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 R$14.57

$8.09 ฿261

-63.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.28 ฿41.08

-21.09%

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

$14.3K R$71.2K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

-32.73%

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

$26.6K R$132.2K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

22.51%

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

$90.8 R$451

$69.2 ฿2,230

31.16%

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

$14.16 R$70.4

$13.97 ฿450

1.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 R$86.3

$17.95 ฿578

-3.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.43 R$86.6

$42.31 ฿1,363

-58.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.31 R$106

$6.66 ฿214

219.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$39.02

$5.92 ฿191

32.60%

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

$422 R$2,097

$299 ฿9,640

40.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,577 R$32.7K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-55.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.40 R$186

$56.2 ฿1,810

-33.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.55 R$127

$26.94 ฿868

-5.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.64 R$132

$84.9 ฿2,735

-68.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.75 R$123

$71.8 ฿2,314

-65.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,578

$435 ฿14.0K

-27.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 R$1,094

$240 ฿7,727

-8.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 R$2,938

$798 ฿25.7K

-25.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 R$2,121

$498 ฿16.1K

-14.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 R$8,403

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-15.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 R$5,929

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-22.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 R$1,986

$628 ฿20.2K

-36.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.38

107.60%

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

Last update for Cariacica: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Cariacica versus $435 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 57% 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 $12 in Cariacica versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $146 vs $244 – making Cariacica the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,004 per month in Cariacica and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Cariacica and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $670 in Cariacica and $845 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $670 in Cariacica and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cariacica – 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 Cariacica. 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.