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: $1,102 in Castelo Branco versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Castelo Branco versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,303 in Castelo Branco versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Castelo Branco is roughly 28% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Castelo Branco 18% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 €10.14

$1.96 ฿65.9

491.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.01 €35.01

$18.35 ฿617

118.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 €8.47

$7.48 ฿252

29.55%

Cappuccino

$1.38 €1.20

$2.02 ฿67.8

-31.68%

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

$1.72 €1.51

$0.85 ฿28.52

102.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.98

$0.36 ฿11.97

211.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 €1.25

$2.14 ฿71.9

-33.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 €3.60

$3.59 ฿121

14.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 €0.93

$1.65 ฿55.5

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 €1.10

$1.57 ฿52.7

-20.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.45

$1.19 ฿40.05

39.50%

Eggs

$2.77 €2.42

$1.94 ฿65.1

42.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 €8.08

$16.19 ฿545

-42.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 €4.29

$2.99 ฿101

63.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 €7.42

$10.94 ฿368

-22.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.71 ฿91.2

-32.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 €1.18

$1.17 ฿39.27

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.69 ฿56.8

-26.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.22

$1.60 ฿54.0

58.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 €0.89

$1.38 ฿46.56

-26.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$1.20 ฿40.47

39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 €1.09

$0.67 ฿22.51

85.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.56 ฿18.74

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 €5.81

$4.64 ฿156

43.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.44 €3.01

$17.62 ฿593

-80.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.86 ฿62.6

-55.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.93

$3.30 ฿111

-67.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 €1.03

$0.88 ฿29.70

32.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.77 €36.54

$19.34 ฿651

115.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 €2.01

$1.36 ฿45.92

69.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 €0.62

$1.34 ฿45.00

-47.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.38 €15.21

$8.21 ฿276

111.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.74

$1.22 ฿41.20

62.30%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

64.77%

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

$39.5K €34.6K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

75.43%

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

$98.7 €86.3

$70.7 ฿2,378

39.62%

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

$21.98 €19.23

$14.04 ฿472

56.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.18 €37.78

$17.49 ฿589

146.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.51 €37.19

$42.15 ฿1,418

0.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 €6.54

$5.92 ฿199

26.35%

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

$627 €548

$309 ฿10.4K

103.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €14.0K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

7.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 €50.3

$55.8 ฿1,876

3.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 €58.9

$26.11 ฿879

157.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 €63.5

$83.0 ฿2,793

-12.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 €50.4

$70.5 ฿2,371

-18.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 €448

$432 ฿14.5K

18.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 €335

$239 ฿8,040

60.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 €613

$822 ฿27.7K

-14.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 €567

$512 ฿17.2K

26.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,617 €1,414

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-15.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,380 €1,208

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-5.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,627 €1,424

$579 ฿19.5K

180.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

8.60%

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

Last update for Castelo Branco: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Castelo Branco and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 181% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $243, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 181% 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: $512 in Castelo Branco versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,102 per month in Castelo Branco versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 116% less than in Castelo Branco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,102 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 28% less than in Castelo Branco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.