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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,714 in Barreiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,390 in Barreiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,065 in Barreiro, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 50% cheaper than Barreiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Barreiro is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$13.83 €11.84

-85.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$45.98 €39.36

-59.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$10.00 €8.56

-20.80%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.54 €2.18

-24.80%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.11 €1.80

-60.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.36 €2.02

-85.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.34 €2.00

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.56 €3.05

6.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.07 €0.92

53.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.52 €1.30

6.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.77 €1.52

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.10 €2.65

-35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.20 €7.87

72.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$7.82 €6.70

-61.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$14.44 €12.36

-25.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.56 €2.19

1.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.46 €1.25

-16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.11 €1.80

-19.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.45 €1.24

8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.46 €1.25

-9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.13 €1.82

-45.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.86 €0.73

-22.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.71 €0.61

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.12 €5.24

-25.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.40 €5.48

184.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.30 €1.11

40.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.15 €0.98

180.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.49 €1.27

-40.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$45.95 €39.33

-57.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.07 €3.48

-66.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.19 €1.02

13.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$17.23 €14.75

-52.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.89 €1.61

-32.80%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$34.5K €29.5K

-38.61%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$39.1K €33.5K

-42.47%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$144 €124

-51.42%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$22.66 €19.40

-39.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$43.65 €37.36

-59.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$33.54 €28.71

23.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$14.08 €12.05

-53.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$8.78 €7.51

-34.17%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$630 €539

-51.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$16.4K €14.0K

-9.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$86.0 €73.6

-36.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$39.84 €34.10

-34.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$85.7 €73.4

-1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$92.9 €79.5

-25.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$977 €836

-56.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$796 €682

-70.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,522 €1,303

-45.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,094 €937

-52.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,035 €3,454

-49.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,962 €2,535

-48.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$945 €809

-32.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

-7.92%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barreiro: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $977 in Barreiro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 49% higher in Barreiro, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Barreiro. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $235 in Barreiro – so Barreiro 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 Barreiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai, $1,714 in Barreiro – roughly 101% apart. Barreiro costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,571 in Barreiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,714 in Barreiro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 137% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Barreiro at $1,714. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barreiro 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 $852 in Chiang Mai to $1,714 in Barreiro. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barreiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.