Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cabudare Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cabudare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $920 in Chiang Mai versus $508 in Cabudare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Chiang Mai versus $1,057 in Cabudare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Chiang Mai versus $1,606 in Cabudare.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 81% more expensive than in Cabudare, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 33% lower, Cabudare 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$10.08 VES 7,820

-79.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$50.2 VES 39.0K

-60.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$10.11 VES 7,840

-42.14%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$1.61 VES 1,249

9.32%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.42 VES 1,101

-47.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$1.08 VES 839

-69.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$2.88 VES 2,234

-34.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$2.72 VES 2,112

-38.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$2.23 VES 1,730

-39.46%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$3.42 VES 2,656

-37.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$7.14 VES 5,538

122.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$7.94 VES 6,155

-64.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$11.18 VES 8,669

-5.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$4.54 VES 3,518

-47.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.76 VES 1,366

-39.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$0.72 VES 558

111.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.02 VES 787

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.03 VES 796

24.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.47 VES 1,137

-25.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.65 VES 503

6.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$0.44 VES 339

104.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

$40.76 VES 31.6K

34.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$5.11 VES 3,965

-76.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$2.53 VES 1,962

-78.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$0.65 VES 502

120.00%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

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

$13.19 ฿433

$9.97 VES 7,734

32.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$40.05 VES 31.1K

-51.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$34.32 VES 26.6K

14.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

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

$805 ฿26.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$442 VES 342.7K

101.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$291 VES 225.5K

79.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Cabudare: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $50.0 in Cabudare. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $223, with Cabudare 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 Cabudare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cabudare wins on cost – living expenses run 81% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cabudare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,380 in Chiang Mai and $762 in Cabudare to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Cabudare – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cabudare runs roughly 35% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $508 in Cabudare versus $920 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cabudare but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Cabudare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cabudare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $508 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cabudare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Cabudare 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 Cabudare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.