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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $670 in Cariacica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,024 in Cariacica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,378 in Cariacica, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Cariacica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cariacica are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Cariacica 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$3.19 R$15.87

-38.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$12.38 R$61.5

48.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$4.28 R$21.25

75.23%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$0.89 R$4.40

116.85%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.92 R$4.57

-15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.55 R$2.75

-41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.06 R$5.28

102.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$1.82 R$9.03

103.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$0.80 R$3.97

113.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.50 R$7.45

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$0.87 R$4.30

35.63%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.46 R$7.28

35.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$7.40 R$36.77

116.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$3.21 R$15.93

-1.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$6.25 R$31.04

75.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.40 R$6.95

87.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$0.88 R$4.38

32.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$0.61 R$3.01

170.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.15 R$5.70

33.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.99 R$4.93

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.36 R$6.76

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.38 R$1.86

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.52 R$2.57

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$1.63 R$8.10

177.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$7.72 R$38.34

137.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$0.92 R$4.59

95.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.27 R$6.31

150.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$1.03 R$5.12

-12.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$38.01 R$189

-50.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.83 R$4.12

69.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.71 R$3.54

84.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$2.93 R$14.57

176.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.01 R$5.04

26.73%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$14.3K R$71.2K

48.65%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$26.6K R$132.2K

-18.37%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$90.8 R$451

-23.75%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$14.16 R$70.4

-1.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$17.36 R$86.3

3.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$17.43 R$86.6

142.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$21.31 R$106

-68.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$7.85 R$39.02

-24.59%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$422 R$2,097

-29.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$6,577 R$32.7K

125.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$37.40 R$186

50.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$25.55 R$127

5.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$26.64 R$132

218.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$24.75 R$123

190.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$317 R$1,578

37.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$220 R$1,094

8.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$591 R$2,938

34.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$427 R$2,121

16.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,691 R$8,403

18.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,193 R$5,929

28.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$400 R$1,986

57.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.38

-51.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Cariacica: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $317 in Cariacica. 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 57% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $12 in Cariacica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $146 – making Cariacica the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cariacica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,004 in Cariacica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $12.00 in Cariacica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $845 in Chiang Mai and $670 in Cariacica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $670 in Cariacica, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cariacica – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cariacica. 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.