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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $743 in Atibaia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,330 in Atibaia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,916 in Atibaia.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 17% more expensive than Atibaia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Atibaia 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.47 R$27.37

-64.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.39 R$137

-31.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.69 R$28.48

37.43%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.00 R$10.01

-2.50%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.24 R$6.20

-31.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.81 R$4.06

-56.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.85 R$9.24

15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.67 R$13.38

39.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.05 R$5.24

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.54 R$7.72

5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.38 R$6.89

-17.39%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.86 R$14.29

-32.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.03 R$50.2

61.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.20 R$21.04

-25.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.83 R$44.17

23.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.68 R$8.42

63.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.20 R$5.99

0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.10 R$5.51

47.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.47 R$7.38

8.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.06 R$5.32

32.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.14 R$5.71

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.94 R$4.72

-29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.69 R$3.47

-23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.17 R$10.87

116.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.94 R$39.71

135.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.37 R$6.88

31.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.13 R$10.67

51.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.86 R$4.30

4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$39.21 R$196

-51.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.23 R$6.14

14.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.02 R$5.12

26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.31 R$31.57

24.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.07 R$5.36

18.69%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$16.2K R$81.3K

30.98%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.9K R$134.7K

-17.48%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$73.1 R$366

-5.56%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$11.74 R$58.7

19.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$20.82 R$104

-13.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$21.51 R$108

90.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$17.76 R$88.9

-60.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.56 R$37.82

-21.69%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$288 R$1,439

4.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,891 R$39.5K

89.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$45.56 R$228

20.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$33.80 R$169

-20.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$68.2 R$341

24.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$41.84 R$209

68.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$275 R$1,374

55.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$180 R$899

32.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$901 R$4,510

-11.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$624 R$3,123

-17.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,992 R$9,970

-0.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,656 R$8,286

-10.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.8

-48.98%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Atibaia: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $275 in Atibaia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $27.00 in Atibaia. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $192, with Atibaia 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 Atibaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Atibaia differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $743 including rent). Atibaia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $1,115 in Atibaia 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $275 in Atibaia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Atibaia – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Atibaia 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 Atibaia 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 Atibaia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.