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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $838 in Aracatuba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,332 in Aracatuba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,826 in Aracatuba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Aracatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Aracatuba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Aracatuba 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.74 R$29.41

-63.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$30.77 R$158

-35.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.22 R$37.00

-19.81%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.89 R$9.68

-3.17%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.21 R$6.23

-35.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.79 R$4.05

-60.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.04 R$10.45

14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.92 R$14.96

26.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.04 R$5.31

95.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.60 R$8.21

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.21 R$6.23

17.36%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.08 R$10.64

4.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$9.04 R$46.33

76.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.18 R$21.44

-26.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$8.03 R$41.17

22.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.11 R$10.83

24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.25 R$6.39

-12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.14 R$5.84

42.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.57 R$8.03

-2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.18 R$6.04

5.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.05 R$5.37

7.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.78 R$3.99

-5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.76 R$3.89

-34.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.37 R$12.14

80.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.91 R$40.57

127.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.26 R$6.44

34.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.01 R$10.32

44.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$1.00 R$5.13

-6.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$41.70 R$214

32.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.21 R$6.22

1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.80 R$4.09

-33.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.86 R$40.27

-69.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.26 R$6.47

14.29%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$23.1K R$118.5K

-8.32%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$31.3K R$160.6K

-12.86%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$72.6 R$372

-10.56%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$11.86 R$60.8

12.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$20.70 R$106

0.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$25.45 R$130

58.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$26.37 R$135

-85.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$6.75 R$34.60

-0.59%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$285 R$1,461

176.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,338 R$37.6K

106.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$53.6 R$275

4.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$47.78 R$245

-47.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$90.7 R$465

2.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$69.6 R$357

7.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$340 R$1,743

42.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$227 R$1,165

26.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$650 R$3,331

40.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$446 R$2,287

18.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,603 R$8,218

23.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,137 R$5,829

27.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$369 R$1,890

64.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.12

-49.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Aracatuba: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $340 in Aracatuba. 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 64% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Aracatuba. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Aracatuba – so Aracatuba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Aracatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai, $838 in Aracatuba – roughly 13% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,257 in Aracatuba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $285 in Aracatuba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Aracatuba, where all-in costs run around $838, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Aracatuba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $838 in Aracatuba to $950 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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