🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,421 in Campos do Jordão.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $2,201 in Campos do Jordão.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,980 in Campos do Jordão.
🌍Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 34% less than in Campos do Jordão, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Campos do Jordão is 4% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Campos do Jordão
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08฿69.3
$7.99R$41.10
-73.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.61฿653
$31.34R$161
-37.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.67฿189
$6.63R$34.07
-14.48%
Cappuccino
$1.81฿60.1
$2.61R$13.41
-30.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77฿25.58
$0.98R$5.05
-21.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.49
$0.81R$4.16
-56.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿73.7
$1.01R$5.17
118.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79฿126
$2.86R$14.72
32.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Campos do Jordão
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.05฿68.2
$1.05R$5.40
95.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.51฿50.4
$1.87R$9.61
-19.25%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40฿46.57
$1.28R$6.60
9.37%
Eggs
$2.26฿75.2
$2.47R$12.70
-8.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.19฿539
$11.51R$59.2
40.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.90฿96.4
$4.68R$24.07
-38.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.42฿314
$9.70R$49.90
-2.89%
Apples(1kg)
$2.68฿89.2
$2.15R$11.07
24.65%
Banana(1kg)
$1.09฿36.28
$1.22R$6.27
-10.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿53.8
$2.01R$10.35
-19.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.46฿48.61
$1.79R$9.19
-18.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.28฿42.54
$1.29R$6.62
-0.78%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06฿35.21
$1.31R$6.72
-19.08%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.72฿23.88
$1.13R$5.83
-36.28%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.51
$0.87R$4.48
-39.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23฿141
$2.37R$12.20
78.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.29฿609
$7.93R$40.77
130.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63฿54.3
$1.35R$6.94
20.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90฿96.6
$1.88R$9.65
54.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Campos do Jordão
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿29.24
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.8฿1,790
$39.07R$201
37.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.17฿39.04
$1.52R$7.83
-23.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58฿19.25
$1.59R$8.18
-63.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.39฿79.4
$5.90R$30.31
-59.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.45฿48.28
$1.25R$6.42
16.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K฿699.5K
$22.9KR$117.7K
-8.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K฿879.7K
$31.9KR$164.2K
-17.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Campos do Jordão
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.7฿2,119
$78.5R$403
-18.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.89฿429
$9.82R$50.5
31.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.52฿683
$17.78R$91.4
15.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Campos do Jordão
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.02฿1,299
$17.79R$91.5
119.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.92฿130
$21.02R$108
-81.35%
Cinema Ticket
$6.58฿219
$8.48R$43.62
-22.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Campos do Jordão
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$784฿26.1K
$118R$606
565.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.7K฿488.4K
$9,923R$51.0K
47.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Campos do Jordão
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1฿1,835
$39.29R$202
40.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.74฿824
$36.32R$187
-31.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.1฿3,133
$92.5R$475
1.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.0฿2,462
$59.0R$304
25.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Campos do Jordão
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$490฿16.3K
$594R$3,055
-17.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$288฿9,594
$786R$4,040
-63.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891฿29.7K
$1,372R$7,055
-35.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$521฿17.3K
$1,551R$7,977
-66.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,974฿65.7K
$1,178R$6,057
67.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,444฿48.1K
$1,373R$7,061
5.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Campos do Jordão
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$602฿20.0K
$292R$1,501
106.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
12.79
-56.45%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026
Last update for Campos do Jordão: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $594 in Campos do Jordão. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Chiang Mai pays 106% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $31.00 in Campos do Jordão. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $214, with Campos do Jordão 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 Campos do Jordão: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Campos do Jordão?
Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Campos do Jordão. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chiang Mai or in Campos do Jordão?
Average pay runs 106% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chiang Mai compared to Campos do Jordão?
Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $594 in Campos do Jordão. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Campos do Jordão?
Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $118 in Campos do Jordão. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Campos do Jordão?
Shoppers in Campos do Jordão pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Campos do Jordão?
At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,421 in Campos do Jordão, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Campos do Jordão. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Campos do Jordão?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $932 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Campos do Jordão?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Campos do Jordão are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Campos do Jordão. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared