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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $938 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,614 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,289 in Arouca.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 8% less than in Arouca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Arouca 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$10.19 TTD 68.5

-80.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$89.3 TTD 600

-79.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.19 TTD 48.35

4.03%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.64 TTD 24.49

-44.51%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.09 TTD 7.34

-22.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.82 TTD 5.49

-56.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.82 TTD 12.27

17.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.17 TTD 21.29

13.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.68 TTD 18.02

-38.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.74 TTD 18.42

-42.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.63 TTD 17.66

-54.75%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.95 TTD 33.28

-60.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.10 TTD 54.5

99.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$10.57 TTD 71.1

-71.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$14.19 TTD 95.4

-22.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$5.72 TTD 38.45

-52.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.57 TTD 17.29

-54.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$4.32 TTD 29.07

-60.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$4.87 TTD 32.72

-67.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.44 TTD 9.71

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.66 TTD 11.19

-27.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.90 TTD 12.79

-64.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.40 TTD 9.42

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.80 TTD 39.04

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$19.17 TTD 129

-8.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.22 TTD 14.92

-16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.85 TTD 19.19

15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.04 TTD 7.00

30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.23 TTD 8.26

8.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$15.06 TTD 101

-45.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.10 TTD 7.43

10.91%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.8K TTD 227.0K

-36.74%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$39.1K TTD 262.7K

-42.32%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$79.4 TTD 534

-10.98%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$46.34 TTD 312

-69.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$61.2 TTD 411

-71.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$9.99 TTD 67.2

-40.74%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$326 TTD 2,194

-5.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$7,079 TTD 47.6K

110.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$59.3 TTD 399

-6.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$38.67 TTD 260

-32.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$144 TTD 965

-42.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$126 TTD 848

-44.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

-7.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arouca: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $89.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $377 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 9% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $938 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,292 in Chiang Mai and $1,407 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 $309 in Chiang Mai versus $326 in Arouca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $89.0 in Arouca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai 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 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Arouca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.