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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $772 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,253 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,734 in Belem.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 12% more expensive than Belem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Belem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$4.43 R$22.39

-56.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$28.57 R$145

-34.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$6.16 R$31.15

26.95%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.59 R$8.07

22.64%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.93 R$4.71

-8.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.44 R$2.20

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.60 R$8.12

33.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.70 R$18.74

0.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.16 R$5.86

47.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$2.10 R$10.63

-22.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.23 R$6.24

-7.32%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.02 R$10.21

-4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.65 R$53.9

52.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.88 R$19.61

-19.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.50 R$32.88

67.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.69 R$8.55

62.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.66 R$8.40

-27.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.23 R$6.25

31.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.45 R$7.35

9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.92 R$4.66

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.56 R$2.84

108.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.03 R$5.22

-35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.34 R$6.78

-60.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.38 R$12.04

97.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$9.65 R$48.83

93.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.36 R$6.88

32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.43 R$22.42

-27.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.69 R$3.48

30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$21.60 R$109

-11.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.05 R$5.30

34.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.72 R$3.62

79.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.12 R$46.14

-14.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.08 R$5.46

17.59%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$16.2K R$81.7K

31.72%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$28.9K R$146.3K

-23.17%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$110 R$557

-37.29%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$14.40 R$72.8

-2.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$21.23 R$107

-15.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$20.77 R$105

97.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$21.71 R$110

-67.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.32 R$31.99

-6.33%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$97.4 R$493

207.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$3,133 R$15.9K

377.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$32.96 R$167

65.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$28.72 R$145

-6.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$75.0 R$379

13.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$41.69 R$211

69.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$442 R$2,237

-3.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$185 R$938

28.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$815 R$4,123

-1.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$457 R$2,314

12.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,996 R$10.1K

-1.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,420 R$7,186

3.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$392 R$1,982

57.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.2

-59.02%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Belem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $442 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 58% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $29.00 in Belem. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $206, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chiang Mai pays 58% more on average, 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $442 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 12% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $97.4 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

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 12% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.