Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Boa Vista Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Boa Vista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $861 in Boa Vista, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,319 in Boa Vista, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,778 in Boa Vista, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Boa Vista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Boa Vista are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Boa Vista 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.31 R$26.48

-63.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$27.27 R$136

-31.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.38 R$31.86

24.14%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.72 R$8.58

11.05%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.13 R$5.65

-25.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.63 R$3.14

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.76 R$8.76

25.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.62 R$13.10

45.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.00 R$4.97

64.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.45 R$7.25

11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.07 R$5.34

10.28%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.44 R$12.18

-17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.60 R$42.89

84.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.61 R$18.00

-16.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.99 R$54.9

-2.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.15 R$10.73

21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.10 R$5.50

10.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.55 R$7.72

9.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.45 R$7.22

8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.92 R$4.60

43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.94 R$4.71

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.75 R$3.74

-10.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.64 R$3.22

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.11 R$10.54

114.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$17.79 R$88.8

2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.26 R$6.31

45.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.97 R$9.85

63.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.94 R$4.70

-5.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$38.26 R$191

-49.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.06 R$5.29

27.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.71 R$3.53

90.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.54 R$32.63

26.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.06 R$5.28

19.81%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$20.9K R$104.3K

1.21%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$27.3K R$136.4K

-17.74%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$61.7 R$308

13.77%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$20.56 R$103

-33.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$28.41 R$142

-38.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$29.82 R$149

39.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$21.21 R$106

-68.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.42 R$27.06

6.64%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$265 R$1,322

15.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,410 R$32.0K

131.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$49.87 R$249

9.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$41.83 R$209

-37.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$75.1 R$375

12.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$64.0 R$320

8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$315 R$1,574

34.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$238 R$1,188

0.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$586 R$2,924

40.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$421 R$2,102

22.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$806 R$4,020

154.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$793 R$3,955

92.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$649 R$3,239

-2.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

-54.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Boa Vista: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $315 in Boa Vista. 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 2% higher in Boa Vista, 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 $27.00 in Boa Vista. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Boa Vista – so Boa Vista 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 Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boa Vista costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,291 in Boa Vista. 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 $861 in Boa Vista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 97% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $861 in Boa Vista, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $861 in Boa Vista. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Boa Vista makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.