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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $645 in Araraquara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,072 in Araraquara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,499 in Araraquara.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 47% more expensive than in Araraquara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Araraquara 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.71 R$29.27

-63.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$23.73 R$122

-16.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.86 R$35.16

-15.60%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.24 R$11.47

-18.30%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.60 R$8.23

-51.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.80 R$4.12

-61.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.97 R$10.08

18.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.96 R$20.28

-6.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.91 R$4.64

123.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.24 R$6.37

29.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.17 R$5.98

21.37%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.33 R$11.93

-6.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$6.57 R$33.70

142.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.33 R$17.08

-7.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$6.32 R$32.39

56.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.36 R$6.96

93.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.93 R$4.78

18.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$0.95 R$4.89

71.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.24 R$6.35

23.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.84 R$4.30

47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.80 R$4.08

41.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.65 R$3.31

13.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.74 R$3.80

-32.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.97 R$10.10

117.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$5.19 R$26.63

246.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$0.96 R$4.94

77.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.53 R$7.86

89.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$1.07 R$5.46

-12.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$24.94 R$128

121.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.30 R$6.65

-5.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.95 R$4.89

-44.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$9.43 R$48.33

-74.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.11 R$5.68

29.73%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$22.7K R$116.5K

-6.73%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$23.0K R$118.0K

18.57%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$44.40 R$228

46.24%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$9.80 R$50.2

36.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$17.61 R$90.3

18.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$25.44 R$130

58.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$19.61 R$101

-79.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$3.96 R$20.31

69.44%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$298 R$1,525

164.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,431 R$38.1K

103.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$46.42 R$238

21.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$42.24 R$217

-40.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$93.1 R$477

-0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$52.8 R$271

42.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$221 R$1,133

118.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$142 R$730

101.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$497 R$2,549

82.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$341 R$1,746

55.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,355 R$6,944

46.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$450 R$2,308

34.46%

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 Araraquara: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $221 in Araraquara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 34% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $24.00 in Araraquara. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $147, with Araraquara 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 Araraquara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Araraquara differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($950 vs $645 including rent). Araraquara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% 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: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $221 in Araraquara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Araraquara – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $645 in Araraquara versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Araraquara but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Araraquara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Araraquara 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 Araraquara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.