Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Barra do Garças Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Barra do Garças

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $845 in Barra do Garças, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,343 in Barra do Garças, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,840 in Barra do Garças, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Barra do Garças, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Barra do Garças are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Barra do Garças 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.73 R$29.36

-63.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$31.20 R$160

-36.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.12 R$36.52

-18.68%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.95 R$9.98

-6.15%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.23 R$6.28

-36.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.77 R$3.96

-59.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.00 R$10.23

17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.97 R$15.22

24.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.00 R$5.14

103.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.66 R$8.50

-3.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.26 R$6.45

12.70%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.16 R$11.09

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.97 R$45.98

77.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.22 R$21.65

-27.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$8.08 R$41.44

22.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.15 R$11.00

22.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.25 R$6.39

-12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.14 R$5.86

42.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.53 R$7.84

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.16 R$5.95

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.04 R$5.31

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.82 R$4.18

-9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.80 R$4.09

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.43 R$12.47

76.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.95 R$40.73

126.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.26 R$6.44

34.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.03 R$10.38

42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.91 R$4.69

3.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$43.19 R$221

28.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.24 R$6.34

-0.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.85 R$4.38

-37.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.69 R$39.41

-68.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.25 R$6.41

15.20%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$23.2K R$119.2K

-8.83%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$31.3K R$160.3K

-12.69%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$71.1 R$364

-8.67%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$12.15 R$62.3

9.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$20.60 R$106

1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$25.19 R$129

60.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$26.57 R$136

-85.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.09 R$36.34

-5.36%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$295 R$1,513

166.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,314 R$37.5K

106.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$53.3 R$273

5.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$47.56 R$244

-47.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$90.8 R$465

2.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$71.4 R$366

5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$347 R$1,780

39.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$235 R$1,205

22.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$649 R$3,329

40.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$444 R$2,278

19.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,642 R$8,417

20.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,126 R$5,774

28.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.12

-49.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Barra do Garças: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $347 in Barra do Garças. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Barra do Garças. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Barra do Garças – so Barra do Garças wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Barra do Garças: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai, $845 in Barra do Garças – roughly 12% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,268 in Barra do Garças. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barra do Garças, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 28% less in Barra do Garças. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $295 in Barra do Garças. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barra do Garças, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Barra do Garças it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $845 in Barra do Garças to $950 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barra do Garças. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.