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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,534 per month in Chaves vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Chaves vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,829 per month in Chaves vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Chaves costs about 77% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chaves sits 14% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.28 €7.18

$1.94 ฿63.8

326.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.88 €19.85

$18.64 ฿611

22.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 €6.95

$7.82 ฿256

2.56%

Cappuccino

$1.72 €1.49

$1.95 ฿64.1

-11.79%

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

$1.77 €1.54

$0.85 ฿27.90

108.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.52

$0.35 ฿11.64

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 €1.95

$2.13 ฿69.9

5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 €2.95

$3.73 ฿122

-8.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.71 ฿56.2

-36.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 €1.49

$1.63 ฿53.4

5.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.14 ฿37.32

68.42%

Eggs

$3.11 €2.70

$1.93 ฿63.4

61.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 €9.68

$16.21 ฿532

-31.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 €7.07

$3.12 ฿102

161.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 €12.10

$10.90 ฿357

27.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 €2.16

$2.75 ฿90.4

-9.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.21 ฿39.70

28.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.62 ฿53.2

20.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 €2.64

$1.59 ฿52.1

91.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 €1.13

$1.40 ฿45.91

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 €1.64

$1.17 ฿38.34

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 €1.46

$0.66 ฿21.70

154.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.81

$0.53 ฿17.30

75.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 €5.24

$4.69 ฿154

28.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$18.66 ฿612

-78.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.80 ฿59.0

-39.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.28

$3.23 ฿106

-18.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.03

$0.90 ฿29.39

160.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.63 €36.99

$19.21 ฿630

121.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.57

$1.41 ฿46.13

192.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.29 ฿42.31

-7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.32 €12.42

$7.84 ฿257

82.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.65

$1.27 ฿41.77

49.61%

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

$38.3K €33.2K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

79.93%

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

$39.9K €34.6K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

79.65%

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

$133 €115

$69.1 ฿2,266

92.62%

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

$21.11 €18.32

$14.08 ฿462

49.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.60 €36.96

$18.00 ฿591

136.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.90 €38.09

$41.06 ฿1,347

6.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.64 €4.90

$6.96 ฿228

-18.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 €5.94

$5.92 ฿194

15.71%

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

$348 €302

$299 ฿9,811

16.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,364 €7,256

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-44.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 €64.4

$54.7 ฿1,795

35.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.87 €19.84

$26.77 ฿878

-14.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 €59.9

$85.0 ฿2,788

-18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 €69.4

$70.6 ฿2,316

13.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 €796

$428 ฿14.0K

114.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 €622

$237 ฿7,787

202.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 €1,284

$801 ฿26.3K

84.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 €1,006

$515 ฿16.9K

124.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,053 €914

$617 ฿20.3K

70.61%

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 Chaves: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $917 in Chaves versus $428 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 71% higher in Chaves, 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 $23.00 in Chaves versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Chaves costs about 77% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,300 per month in Chaves and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 122% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $348 per month in Chaves and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Chaves at $1,534. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chaves it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,534 in Chaves. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chaves makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.