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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $831 in Barretos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,326 in Barretos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,822 in Barretos, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Barretos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Barretos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Barretos 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$6.78 R$34.77

-69.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$22.71 R$116

-12.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$5.87 R$30.07

-1.36%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.51 R$7.73

21.19%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.28 R$6.58

-39.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.60 R$3.08

-48.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.37 R$12.17

-1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.82 R$14.43

31.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.05 R$5.40

93.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.10 R$10.76

-23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.34 R$6.86

5.97%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.63 R$13.48

-17.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$11.33 R$58.1

40.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.73 R$24.25

-35.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.44 R$53.5

-5.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.37 R$12.16

10.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.72 R$8.83

-36.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.54 R$7.91

5.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.49 R$7.61

2.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.28 R$6.58

-3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.16 R$5.95

-2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.93 R$4.78

-20.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.80 R$4.11

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.34 R$12.00

82.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.94 R$40.72

126.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.47 R$7.53

15.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.43 R$12.44

19.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.93 R$4.76

1.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$41.69 R$214

32.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.14 R$5.84

7.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.75 R$3.87

-29.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$8.48 R$43.47

-71.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.93 R$4.79

54.84%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$23.1K R$118.3K

-8.20%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$31.9K R$163.5K

-14.38%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$28.95 R$148

124.28%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$5.65 R$28.98

136.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$15.55 R$79.7

33.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$24.17 R$124

67.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$26.15 R$134

-84.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.90 R$40.49

-15.06%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$429 R$2,201

83.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$9,957 R$51.0K

51.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$65.0 R$333

-13.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$23.11 R$118

7.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$93.3 R$478

-0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$67.0 R$344

12.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$348 R$1,786

38.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$234 R$1,199

22.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$632 R$3,241

43.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$443 R$2,272

19.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,603 R$8,218

23.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,143 R$5,859

26.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$554 R$2,842

9.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.81

-48.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Barretos: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $348 in Barretos. 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 9% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Barretos. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $220 in Barretos – so Barretos 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 Barretos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai, $831 in Barretos – roughly 14% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,247 in Barretos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $23.00 in Barretos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $950 in Chiang Mai and $831 in Barretos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barretos, where all-in costs run around $831, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Barretos 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 $831 in Barretos 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 Barretos. 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.