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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $775 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,317 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $1,859 in Arouca.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 22% more expensive than in Arouca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Arouca 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$10.14 TTD 67.5

-79.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$60.0 TTD 399

-67.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$8.06 TTD 53.6

-29.90%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$3.79 TTD 25.23

-52.24%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.99 TTD 6.59

-28.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.73 TTD 4.84

-56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$1.87 TTD 12.46

19.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.52 TTD 16.78

44.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.99 TTD 13.26

-1.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$2.35 TTD 15.61

-36.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$2.82 TTD 18.79

-52.48%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$3.74 TTD 24.87

-39.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$6.59 TTD 43.88

146.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$10.01 TTD 66.6

-70.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$9.07 TTD 60.4

9.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$5.40 TTD 35.94

-52.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$2.54 TTD 16.91

-58.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$3.65 TTD 24.26

-55.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$4.39 TTD 29.23

-65.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.71 TTD 4.71

78.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.73 TTD 4.84

46.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$1.43 TTD 9.55

-49.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$1.21 TTD 8.04

-57.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$5.54 TTD 36.83

-24.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$17.82 TTD 119

0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.48 TTD 9.83

14.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$3.09 TTD 20.55

-8.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$0.91 TTD 6.09

35.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.89 TTD 5.94

-34.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$14.87 TTD 99.0

-83.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.17 TTD 7.77

20.51%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$37.5K TTD 249.6K

-42.83%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$40.4K TTD 269.1K

-32.40%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$43.83 TTD 292

45.27%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$42.70 TTD 284

-69.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$44.62 TTD 297

-54.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$8.98 TTD 59.7

-24.94%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$400 TTD 2,661

94.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$10.3K TTD 68.3K

42.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$54.3 TTD 361

-0.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$37.15 TTD 247

-31.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$87.2 TTD 580

8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$88.6 TTD 590

-17.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.75

-3.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Arouca: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $60.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $318 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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 Arouca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Arouca differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $775 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,421 in Chiang Mai and $1,162 in Arouca to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $400 in Arouca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Arouca – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $775 in Arouca versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arouca but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Arouca 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 Arouca 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 Arouca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.