Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Boa Vista

For one person, living is cheaper in Boa Vista: $758 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Boa Vista, Brazil
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Boa Vista
🇧🇷 Brazil
$758
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Boa Vista

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Boa Vista actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $758 in Boa Vista, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Boa Vista $758

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,132 in Boa Vista, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Boa Vista $1,132

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,506 in Boa Vista, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Boa Vista $1,506

Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Boa Vista, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Boa Vista are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Boa Vista 44% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Boa Vista
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.7
$7.13 R$38.95
-70.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿625
$21.99 R$120
-15.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿188
$7.92 R$43.25
-29.29%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.9
$2.49 R$13.62
-33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.73
$0.82 R$4.50
-20.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.24
$0.45 R$2.45
-33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿78.0
$1.35 R$7.39
71.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿123
$2.05 R$11.21
79.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Boa Vista
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿67.7
$2.26 R$12.32
-10.62%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.29
$1.72 R$9.41
-18.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.75
$1.32 R$7.19
5.30%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.5
$2.72 R$14.88
-12.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿555
$9.19 R$50.2
79.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿89.7
$5.17 R$28.22
-48.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿303
$9.13 R$49.83
-1.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.6
$2.17 R$11.83
10.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.98
$1.21 R$6.60
-14.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿55.7
$1.64 R$8.95
1.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.4
$1.79 R$9.77
-12.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.57
$0.94 R$5.11
31.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.50
$0.96 R$5.22
13.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.59
$0.72 R$3.92
5.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.27
$0.72 R$3.95
-29.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿138
$2.61 R$14.25
57.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿602
$11.14 R$60.8
60.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.5
$1.90 R$10.39
-14.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿94.8
$1.32 R$7.21
113.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Boa Vista
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.39
$0.96 R$5.23
-3.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,777
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.52
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.76
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿60.9
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.47
$1.23 R$6.72
19.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿705.8K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿890.7K
$26.1K R$142.7K
1.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Boa Vista
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,101
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿390
$17.20 R$93.9
-32.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿682
$29.22 R$160
-30.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Boa Vista
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,272
$30.81 R$168
22.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿124
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿219
$5.96 R$32.56
9.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Boa Vista
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.4K
$171 R$935
324.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿556.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Boa Vista
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,798
$22.45 R$123
138.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿833
$22.46 R$123
10.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,036
$64.5 R$352
40.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,418
$30.95 R$169
132.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Boa Vista
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.2K
$333 R$1,820
44.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.4K
$254 R$1,389
21.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.5K
$465 R$2,541
127.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.1K
$337 R$1,840
95.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿81.2K
$737 R$4,025
227.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿54.0K
$739 R$4,037
117.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Boa Vista
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿20.0K
$491 R$2,680
21.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
0
-

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Boa Vista: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Boa Vista
$254 17.9% $55
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Boa Vista
$221 6.6% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Boa Vista
$63 41.7% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Boa Vista
$46 * 50.9% $48
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Boa Vista
$127 65.5% $50
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Boa Vista
$3.8 * 93.5% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Boa Vista
$43 16% $8.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $333 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 21% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $22 in Boa Vista. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $221 in Boa Vista – so Boa Vista wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇧🇷 Boa Vista
🕒 Local time
16:50 4:50 PM
05:50 5:50 AM
11 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
413,486
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.75 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 5.46 BRL (1 BRL = 0.183 USD). 1 EUR = 6.14 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Boa Vista 16,740 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Boa Vista

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Boa Vista?
Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Boa Vista, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Boa Vista?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,138 in Boa Vista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Boa Vista?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Boa Vista, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $333 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.
How much does it cost to live in Chiang Mai compared to Boa Vista?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $758 in Boa Vista. That makes Boa Vista about 19% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Boa Vista?
Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $171 in Boa Vista. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Boa Vista – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Boa Vista?
If budget matters most, go with Boa Vista. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

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