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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $861 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,472 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $2,083 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 10% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Barquisimeto 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$9.95 VES 8,078

-79.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$49.50 VES 40.2K

-60.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$11.52 VES 9,350

-50.95%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.72 VES 1,393

5.23%

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

$0.71 ฿23.46

$1.52 VES 1,236

-53.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.39

$1.15 VES 932

-72.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$1.28 VES 1,038

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿120

$3.36 VES 2,724

8.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.98 VES 2,420

-34.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.42

$2.37 VES 1,921

-36.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.96

$2.14 VES 1,734

-37.38%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$3.27 VES 2,657

-30.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$7.85 VES 6,375

107.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.2

$9.03 VES 7,331

-67.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$10.65 VES 8,647

-6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$4.59 VES 3,730

-44.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.75

$2.02 VES 1,637

-47.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.74 VES 597

117.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$0.92 VES 746

65.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.80

$0.95 VES 775

33.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.09

$1.35 VES 1,095

-20.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.70

$0.65 VES 529

10.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$1.61 VES 1,309

-68.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.92 VES 2,368

43.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿588

$11.82 VES 9,590

51.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.25 VES 1,018

35.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$2.81 VES 2,284

1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.45

$0.40 VES 324

132.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,772

$39.68 VES 32.2K

35.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.61

$4.96 VES 4,026

-75.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.97

$2.54 VES 2,063

-77.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.8

$15.22 VES 12.4K

-84.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.46

$0.75 VES 611

88.00%

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

$21.4K ฿705.5K

$25.1K VES 20.4M

-14.66%

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

$27.3K ฿899.3K

$31.3K VES 25.4M

-12.69%

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

$63.7 ฿2,095

$15.36 VES 12.5K

314.52%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$7.87 VES 6,386

63.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$36.72 VES 29.8K

-44.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,275

$33.48 VES 27.2K

15.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$8.72 VES 7,081

-54.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$5.05 VES 4,100

33.47%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$56.4 VES 45.8K

1279.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.7K

$494 VES 401.1K

2856.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,786

$46.83 VES 38.0K

15.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$39.74 VES 32.3K

-35.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,104

$103 VES 83.5K

-8.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,416

$81.5 VES 66.1K

-9.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$213 VES 173.2K

129.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,518

$142 VES 115.3K

103.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$464 VES 376.7K

92.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$322 VES 261.2K

60.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$474 VES 384.4K

312.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$253 VES 205.4K

483.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$185 VES 150.6K

224.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-77.72%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $213 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 225% 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 $49.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $281 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 Barquisimeto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Barquisimeto differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $861 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 225% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $213 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Barquisimeto – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Chiang Mai versus $861 in Barquisimeto – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Barquisimeto versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barquisimeto but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Barquisimeto 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 Barquisimeto 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 Barquisimeto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.