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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $783 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,254 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,724 in Belem.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Belem 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$4.43 R$22.66

-55.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$28.89 R$148

-36.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.26 R$32.02

19.49%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.60 R$8.16

26.25%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.93 R$4.73

-8.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.47 R$2.38

-23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.60 R$8.16

33.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.51 R$17.93

2.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.15 R$5.90

43.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.11 R$10.79

-25.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.25 R$6.36

-4.80%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.98 R$10.11

-2.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$10.31 R$52.7

57.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.95 R$20.18

-24.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.71 R$34.28

63.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.71 R$8.74

58.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.73 R$8.83

-32.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.29 R$6.59

31.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.46 R$7.47

9.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.92 R$4.72

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.55 R$2.81

118.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.03 R$5.27

-34.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.35 R$6.88

-58.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.49 R$12.74

86.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$9.88 R$50.5

78.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.31 R$6.70

41.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.56 R$23.32

-27.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.74 R$3.80

18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$21.48 R$110

-9.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.11 R$5.67

22.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.74 R$3.79

81.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$8.84 R$45.17

-7.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.04 R$5.30

17.31%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$16.1K R$82.3K

32.58%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$29.0K R$148.0K

-22.20%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$111 R$568

-36.41%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$14.53 R$74.3

-3.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$21.28 R$109

-17.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$21.25 R$109

98.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$21.56 R$110

-68.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.21 R$31.76

-4.67%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$101 R$514

206.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,082 R$15.7K

382.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$32.98 R$169

69.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$28.89 R$148

-9.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$75.8 R$387

9.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$41.88 R$214

68.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$435 R$2,225

-0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$188 R$962

26.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$800 R$4,091

2.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$466 R$2,382

9.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,951 R$9,972

-1.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,369 R$6,995

7.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$409 R$2,090

41.64%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Belem: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $435 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 42% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $29.00 in Belem. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $207, 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 42% 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $435 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 11% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $101 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 10% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.