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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $920 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,413 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,906 in Belem.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 1% more expensive than in Belem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Belem 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.78 R$24.63

-56.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$19.78 R$102

-0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.94 R$35.73

-18.30%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.01 R$10.38

-9.95%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.03 R$5.31

-25.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.51 R$2.64

-31.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.52 R$7.81

45.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.29 R$11.81

65.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.29 R$6.66

58.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.41 R$12.41

-37.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.29 R$6.65

8.53%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.09 R$10.77

8.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$9.12 R$47.01

77.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.46 R$22.96

-34.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.59 R$39.10

24.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.23 R$11.47

20.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.38 R$7.10

-21.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.44 R$7.43

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.67 R$8.61

-12.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.02 R$5.23

25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.61 R$3.12

73.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.29 R$6.62

-44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.38 R$7.14

-61.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.68 R$13.80

57.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$9.67 R$49.83

89.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.41 R$7.29

15.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$4.82 R$24.85

-39.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.88 R$4.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$33.74 R$174

59.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.15 R$5.95

1.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.19 R$6.16

-51.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$8.21 R$42.29

-70.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.25 R$6.46

16.00%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$22.8K R$117.6K

-7.93%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$31.6K R$162.8K

-16.39%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$98.3 R$506

-35.26%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$11.06 R$57.0

16.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$30.50 R$157

-32.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$21.09 R$109

85.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$38.56 R$199

-89.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.67 R$39.49

-14.21%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$112 R$576

600.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$3,359 R$17.3K

336.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$31.67 R$163

74.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$43.49 R$224

-43.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$81.7 R$421

15.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$65.4 R$337

13.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$531 R$2,733

-7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$275 R$1,415

4.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$860 R$4,429

3.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$517 R$2,665

0.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,952 R$10.1K

1.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,408 R$7,255

2.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$405 R$2,088

48.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.48

-51.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Belem: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $531 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 48% 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 $20.00 in Belem. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $219, with Belem 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 Belem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 48% 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 $531 in Belem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 59% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $112 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $920 in Belem versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Belem but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Belem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Belem 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 Belem 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 Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.