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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $776 in Barreiras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,231 in Barreiras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $1,685 in Barreiras.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 10% more expensive than Barreiras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Barreiras 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.32 R$26.55

-63.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$26.48 R$132

-28.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.18 R$30.84

28.16%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.80 R$8.98

6.11%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.09 R$5.44

-22.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.61 R$3.05

-42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.84 R$9.18

20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.69 R$13.40

41.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.98 R$4.90

67.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.45 R$7.23

11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.17 R$5.85

0.85%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.05 R$10.21

-1.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.09 R$40.35

96.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.56 R$17.75

-15.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.15 R$35.66

50.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.15 R$10.71

21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.30 R$6.51

-6.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.15 R$5.73

47.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.46 R$7.31

8.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.14 R$5.70

15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.11 R$5.52

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.74 R$3.69

-9.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.62 R$3.08

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.08 R$10.37

117.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.69 R$43.34

109.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.21 R$6.06

51.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.04 R$10.20

58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.88 R$4.38

1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$38.29 R$191

-49.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.10 R$5.48

22.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.76 R$3.80

77.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.44 R$32.14

28.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.05 R$5.24

20.95%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$20.9K R$104.1K

1.45%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.2K R$140.5K

-20.13%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$61.6 R$307

13.95%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$13.29 R$66.3

3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$19.11 R$95.3

-7.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$22.77 R$114

82.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$21.69 R$108

-69.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.27 R$31.29

-7.81%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$275 R$1,370

11.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,577 R$32.8K

125.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$48.73 R$243

11.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$42.74 R$213

-38.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$77.2 R$385

9.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$63.2 R$315

9.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$316 R$1,578

33.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$215 R$1,071

10.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$584 R$2,915

41.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$425 R$2,122

21.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,690 R$8,432

21.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,315 R$6,560

15.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

-54.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barreiras: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $316 in Barreiras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $26.00 in Barreiras. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $175, with Barreiras 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 Barreiras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barreiras is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,278 in Chiang Mai and $1,165 in Barreiras 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $316 in Barreiras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $275 in Barreiras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Barreiras gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Barreiras 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 Barreiras 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.