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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $785 in Castanhal versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,230 in Castanhal versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,676 in Castanhal versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Castanhal costs roughly 9% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Castanhal 41% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 R$27.73

$1.94 ฿63.8

177.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.39 R$141

$18.64 ฿611

46.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.23 R$32.08

$7.82 ฿256

-20.33%

Cappuccino

$1.74 R$8.95

$1.95 ฿64.1

-10.77%

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

$1.12 R$5.77

$0.85 ฿27.90

31.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.39

$0.35 ฿11.64

88.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.51

$2.13 ฿69.9

-13.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 R$13.62

$3.73 ฿122

-29.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 R$4.75

$1.71 ฿56.2

-46.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.56

$1.63 ฿53.4

-9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.15

$1.14 ฿37.32

4.39%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.52

$1.93 ฿63.4

5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 R$42.85

$16.21 ฿532

-48.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 R$18.53

$3.12 ฿102

15.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.20 R$37.09

$10.90 ฿357

-33.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 R$10.97

$2.75 ฿90.4

-22.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.51

$1.21 ฿39.70

4.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.85

$1.62 ฿53.2

-29.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.68

$1.59 ฿52.1

-6.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.86

$1.40 ฿45.91

-18.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.72

$1.17 ฿38.34

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.56

$0.66 ฿21.70

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.41

$0.53 ฿17.30

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 R$10.84

$4.69 ฿154

-55.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.81 R$35.10

$18.66 ฿612

-63.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.53

$1.80 ฿59.0

-29.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.72

$3.23 ฿106

-35.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.81

$0.90 ฿29.39

3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.19 R$197

$19.21 ฿630

98.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.69

$1.41 ฿46.13

-21.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.90

$1.29 ฿42.31

-41.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 R$33.68

$7.84 ฿257

-16.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.36

$1.27 ฿41.77

-18.11%

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

$20.4K R$105.1K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

-4.10%

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

$27.8K R$143.3K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

25.24%

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

$61.0 R$314

$69.1 ฿2,266

-11.67%

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

$13.75 R$70.9

$14.08 ฿462

-2.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.73 R$96.5

$18.00 ฿591

4.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.87 R$118

$41.06 ฿1,347

-44.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.99 R$113

$6.96 ฿228

215.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 R$32.09

$5.92 ฿194

5.24%

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

$266 R$1,369

$299 ฿9,811

-11.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,397 R$33.0K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-57.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.34 R$249

$54.7 ฿1,795

-11.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.34 R$218

$26.77 ฿878

58.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 R$397

$85.0 ฿2,788

-9.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 R$326

$70.6 ฿2,316

-10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 R$1,655

$428 ฿14.0K

-24.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 R$1,098

$237 ฿7,787

-10.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 R$3,012

$801 ฿26.3K

-27.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,255

$515 ฿16.9K

-15.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,771 R$9,125

$1,975 ฿64.8K

-10.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,097 R$5,653

$1,475 ฿48.4K

-25.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

118.40%

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

Last update for Castanhal: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $321 in Castanhal and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Castanhal vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $172 vs $246, with Castanhal 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

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

Castanhal wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Castanhal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,177 in Castanhal and $1,300 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $321 in Castanhal versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Castanhal – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $785 per month in Castanhal versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Castanhal gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Castanhal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $785 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Castanhal hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Castanhal 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 Castanhal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.