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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $751 in Caraguatatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,215 in Caraguatatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,678 in Caraguatatuba.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 15% more expensive than in Caraguatatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Caraguatatuba 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$6.66 R$34.02

-70.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$26.36 R$135

-30.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.83 R$34.92

9.52%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.75 R$8.95

15.43%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.06 R$5.40

-19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.84 R$4.28

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.82 R$9.32

17.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.86 R$14.62

25.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.96 R$4.91

71.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.47 R$7.50

6.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.19 R$6.07

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.69 R$8.66

14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$5.43 R$27.77

198.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.95 R$15.07

1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.41 R$37.85

47.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.93 R$9.88

40.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.67 R$8.52

-29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.33 R$6.82

27.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.69 R$8.64

-5.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.14 R$5.85

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.75 R$3.81

60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.61 R$3.13

9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.69 R$3.51

-18.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.79 R$9.12

159.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.72 R$34.36

162.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.32 R$6.74

40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.00 R$10.23

65.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.87 R$4.47

1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$20.96 R$107

-7.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.05 R$5.39

29.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.58 R$2.96

131.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.14 R$16.07

161.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.07 R$5.45

14.02%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$13.8K R$70.4K

54.99%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$26.2K R$133.7K

-13.85%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$51.3 R$262

37.73%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$11.91 R$60.9

17.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$20.56 R$105

-14.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$19.37 R$99.0

117.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$14.15 R$72.3

-51.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.39 R$37.77

-19.89%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$200 R$1,020

54.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,854 R$19.7K

286.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$50.6 R$259

10.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$55.6 R$284

-53.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$71.6 R$366

16.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$53.6 R$274

31.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$371 R$1,894

16.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$206 R$1,055

15.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$775 R$3,959

6.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$482 R$2,462

6.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,629 R$8,327

17.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,131 R$5,782

29.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$327 R$1,672

77.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.15

-38.65%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Caraguatatuba: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $371 in Caraguatatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 77% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $26.00 in Caraguatatuba. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $162, with Caraguatatuba 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 Caraguatatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 77% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $371 in Caraguatatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Caraguatatuba gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Caraguatatuba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Caraguatatuba 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 Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.