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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,196 in Barcelos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,944 in Barcelos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,692 in Barcelos.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 28% less than in Barcelos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Barcelos 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$11.54 €9.93

-83.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$46.97 €40.41

-60.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.18 €7.90

-14.81%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.00 €1.72

-2.50%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.00 €1.72

-57.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.44 €1.24

-75.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.22 €2.77

-33.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.57 €3.07

4.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.11 €0.95

54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.77 €1.52

-7.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.65 €1.42

-30.91%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.11 €2.67

-37.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.20 €9.64

44.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$8.25 €7.10

-62.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.72 €11.80

-20.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.01 €1.73

36.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.44 €1.24

-15.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.90 €1.63

-14.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.97 €2.56

-46.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.36 €1.17

2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.90 €1.63

-38.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.67 €1.44

-60.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.89 €0.77

-40.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.43 €5.53

-27.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.57 €3.93

308.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.18 €1.01

52.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.33 €2.00

38.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$2.27 €1.95

-60.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$22.99 €19.78

-16.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$4.53 €3.90

-68.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.20 €1.03

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$17.46 €15.02

-55.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.95 €1.68

-34.87%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$37.2K €32.0K

-42.87%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$40.0K €34.4K

-44.40%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$139 €120

-50.28%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$21.75 €18.71

-35.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$41.42 €35.63

-56.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$38.64 €33.24

6.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$7.05 €6.06

-1.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$8.41 €7.23

-29.61%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$285 €245

4.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,824 €5,009

156.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$74.1 €63.7

-26.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$38.92 €33.48

-31.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$84.7 €72.9

0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$98.6 €84.8

-28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$439 €377

-2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$349 €300

-31.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$891 €766

-10.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$730 €628

-29.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,821 €2,427

-30.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,593 €1,370

-7.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,117 €961

-44.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

-2.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelos: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $439 in Barcelos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelos pays 81% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $47.00 in Barcelos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $250 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 Barcelos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Barcelos earns 81% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $439 in Barcelos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Barcelos. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $47.00 in Barcelos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,196 in Barcelos, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Barcelos. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barcelos, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Barcelos 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 38% less than in Barcelos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.