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 $851 in Boa Vista, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,341 in Boa Vista, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,831 in Boa Vista, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Boa Vista have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.46 R$27.72

-62.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$26.49 R$134

-29.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.39 R$32.44

23.00%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.71 R$8.69

18.71%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.11 R$5.65

-27.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.65 R$3.31

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.76 R$8.95

21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.72 R$13.79

34.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.98 R$4.98

76.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.52 R$7.69

3.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.01 R$5.12

18.81%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.57 R$13.02

-23.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.78 R$44.58

84.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.56 R$18.09

-14.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.06 R$56.1

-2.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.16 R$10.96

28.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.14 R$5.79

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.55 R$7.85

10.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.50 R$7.63

6.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.92 R$4.69

51.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.93 R$4.71

24.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.74 R$3.74

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.65 R$3.32

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.19 R$11.10

112.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$17.47 R$88.7

1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.20 R$6.11

49.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.99 R$10.10

67.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.87 R$4.42

4.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$39.08 R$198

-52.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.06 R$5.39

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.71 R$3.59

88.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.23 R$31.61

30.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.05 R$5.33

17.14%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$20.6K R$104.4K

4.21%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.8K R$140.9K

-21.39%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$61.6 R$312

15.89%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$20.69 R$105

-32.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$28.30 R$144

-36.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$29.65 R$150

37.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$22.02 R$112

-68.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.27 R$26.77

8.54%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$274 R$1,389

12.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,525 R$33.1K

124.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$48.38 R$245

15.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$41.59 R$211

-37.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$75.0 R$381

13.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$64.5 R$327

10.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$312 R$1,584

35.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$230 R$1,166

5.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$572 R$2,902

39.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$433 R$2,198

17.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$770 R$3,908

149.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$782 R$3,969

87.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$625 R$3,171

-4.78%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Boa Vista: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $312 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 5% higher in Boa Vista. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Boa Vista. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $208 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,276 in Boa Vista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $274 in Boa Vista. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $851 in Boa Vista, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boa Vista costs $851 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. 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 Boa Vista. 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.