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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $643 in Aracaju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $999 in Aracaju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,355 in Aracaju.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 35% more expensive than Aracaju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Aracaju 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.94 R$24.70

-60.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$21.74 R$109

-14.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.31 R$26.60

47.27%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.64 R$8.19

18.90%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.03 R$5.14

-17.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.56 R$2.80

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.82 R$9.10

17.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.63 R$13.17

41.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.01 R$5.08

69.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.26 R$6.31

29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.02 R$5.12

11.76%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.55 R$7.75

24.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.54 R$32.72

147.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.41 R$17.07

-8.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.32 R$31.63

72.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.62 R$8.09

69.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.09 R$5.46

11.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.60 R$3.02

170.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.99 R$4.96

60.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.92 R$4.62

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.83 R$4.13

40.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.50 R$2.50

32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.60 R$3.02

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.00 R$9.99

134.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.79 R$28.99

222.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.31 R$6.55

37.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.85 R$9.28

74.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.79 R$3.96

13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$37.78 R$189

-49.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.05 R$5.24

34.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.10 R$5.50

17.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.25 R$31.27

25.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.04 R$5.19

22.12%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$17.8K R$89.3K

19.28%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.6K R$133.2K

-16.54%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$65.9 R$330

4.79%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$13.94 R$69.8

1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$15.74 R$78.8

14.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$18.70 R$93.6

119.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$24.02 R$120

-71.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.90 R$29.54

0.34%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$164 R$820

82.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,851 R$24.3K

208.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$52.4 R$262

4.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$30.07 R$151

-10.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$69.8 R$349

21.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$79.3 R$397

-10.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$178 R$892

140.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$117 R$586

102.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$601 R$3,007

33.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$212 R$1,060

143.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,311 R$6,562

50.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$901 R$4,511

63.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$454 R$2,270

36.11%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aracaju: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $178 in Aracaju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 36% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $22.00 in Aracaju. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 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 35% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $643 including rent). Aracaju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chiang Mai pays 36% more on average, 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $178 in Aracaju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $164 in Aracaju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% 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 35% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.