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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $645 in Aracaju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,002 in Aracaju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,359 in Aracaju.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 34% more expensive than in Aracaju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Aracaju 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$4.97 R$25.41

-60.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$21.83 R$112

-15.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.29 R$27.05

41.40%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.61 R$8.23

25.47%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.97 R$4.94

-12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.55 R$2.83

-34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.84 R$9.41

16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.59 R$13.25

38.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.95 R$4.84

73.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.30 R$6.67

20.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.04 R$5.30

14.42%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.51 R$7.71

28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$6.79 R$34.70

138.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.39 R$17.35

-11.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.35 R$32.45

72.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.64 R$8.39

65.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.14 R$5.80

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.65 R$3.34

160.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.98 R$5.00

63.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.89 R$4.52

55.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.88 R$4.50

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.46 R$2.34

45.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.56 R$2.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.01 R$10.27

130.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.67 R$28.96

210.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.32 R$6.77

40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.89 R$9.68

74.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.79 R$4.04

11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$38.12 R$195

-49.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.09 R$5.58

24.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.09 R$5.57

22.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.17 R$31.54

33.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.04 R$5.30

17.31%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$18.4K R$93.8K

16.36%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$26.3K R$134.5K

-14.42%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$68.3 R$349

3.53%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$14.32 R$73.2

-1.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$15.84 R$80.9

10.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$18.83 R$96.2

123.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$24.19 R$124

-71.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.82 R$29.74

1.72%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$169 R$863

82.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,901 R$25.0K

203.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$51.4 R$263

8.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$30.09 R$154

-13.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$68.9 R$352

20.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$79.4 R$406

-11.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$179 R$913

141.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$116 R$592

106.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$598 R$3,056

37.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$211 R$1,077

143.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,268 R$6,478

51.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$867 R$4,432

69.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$452 R$2,310

28.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.35

-51.69%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Aracaju: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $179 in Aracaju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 28% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $22.00 in Aracaju. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $146, with Aracaju 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

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

Chiang Mai and Aracaju differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $645 including rent). Aracaju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% higher in Chiang Mai, 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $179 in Aracaju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $169 in Aracaju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Aracaju gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Aracaju 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 Aracaju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.