Cost of Living Comparison Between Castelo Branco and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Castelo Branco and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,155 in Castelo Branco versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in Castelo Branco versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,354 in Castelo Branco versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Castelo Branco is roughly 22% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Castelo Branco 16% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.46 €9.85

$2.08 ฿68.6

450.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.39 €34.73

$19.64 ฿646

105.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 €8.47

$5.65 ฿186

74.51%

Cappuccino

$1.34 €1.15

$1.81 ฿59.4

-25.97%

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

$1.41 €1.22

$0.71 ฿23.45

98.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$0.32 ฿10.38

296.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 €0.97

$2.24 ฿73.6

-49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.03

$3.63 ฿119

-34.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.96 ฿64.4

-37.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.50 ฿49.39

-11.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.34 ฿43.93

11.94%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.49

$2.26 ฿74.5

79.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 €8.18

$16.26 ฿535

-41.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 €5.20

$2.95 ฿97.1

105.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 €7.74

$9.94 ฿327

-9.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 €1.89

$2.57 ฿84.6

-14.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.06 ฿34.73

25.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.61 ฿53.0

14.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 €2.08

$1.52 ฿49.97

59.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.27 ฿41.77

36.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.07 ฿35.06

45.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 €1.06

$0.72 ฿23.68

70.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.70

$0.51 ฿16.72

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 €5.23

$4.19 ฿138

45.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.46 €2.98

$17.87 ฿587

-80.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.69 ฿55.7

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.84 ฿93.3

-29.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 €1.13

$0.93 ฿30.43

41.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.05 €19.81

$53.9 ฿1,771

-57.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 €2.05

$1.23 ฿40.59

94.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.58 ฿18.96

43.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.52 €15.06

$2.42 ฿79.7

623.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.41 ฿46.43

55.32%

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

$34.8K €30.0K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

62.48%

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

$42.4K €36.4K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

55.11%

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

$125 €107

$63.7 ฿2,093

95.82%

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

$19.42 €16.70

$12.85 ฿423

51.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.33 €29.51

$20.22 ฿665

69.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 €34.28

$38.74 ฿1,274

2.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$7.17 €6.17

$6.74 ฿222

6.38%

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

$705 €606

$778 ฿25.6K

-9.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K €15.3K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

21.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 €69.8

$54.3 ฿1,785

49.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$25.45 ฿837

84.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 €73.2

$94.3 ฿3,102

-9.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 €59.5

$73.4 ฿2,415

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 €410

$490 ฿16.1K

-2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 €330

$289 ฿9,512

32.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 €729

$894 ฿29.4K

-5.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 €557

$517 ฿17.0K

25.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,643 €1,412

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-15.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,410 €1,213

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-4.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,695 €1,457

$602 ฿19.8K

181.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

5.57

-31.96%

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

Last update for Castelo Branco: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Castelo Branco and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 182% 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: $40.00 in Castelo Branco vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $240, with Castelo Branco 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

Castelo Branco vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 182% higher in Castelo Branco, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Castelo Branco versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,155 per month in Castelo Branco versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 134% less than in Castelo Branco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,155 in Castelo Branco, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Castelo Branco. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Castelo Branco 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Castelo Branco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.