Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cascavel

For one person, living is cheaper in Cascavel: $662 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Cascavel, Brazil
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Cascavel
🇧🇷 Brazil
$662
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Cascavel

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 Cascavel actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $662 in Cascavel, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Cascavel $662

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $986 in Cascavel, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Cascavel $986

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,310 in Cascavel, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Cascavel $1,310

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Cascavel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Cascavel are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cascavel 51% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Cascavel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$8.61 R$46.35
-73.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$22.26 R$120
-14.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$6.68 R$35.95
-16.92%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$1.46 R$7.84
14.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.55
$1.03 R$5.52
-37.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.31
$0.49 R$2.62
-36.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$1.09 R$5.89
116.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$1.99 R$10.71
83.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Cascavel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$1.01 R$5.41
93.07%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.48
$1.29 R$6.96
11.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.04
$1.59 R$8.57
-16.35%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$2.09 R$11.26
9.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$9.52 R$51.3
72.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$3.42 R$18.42
-18.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$6.57 R$35.36
41.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$2.27 R$12.22
3.52%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.80
$0.85 R$4.59
14.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$0.55 R$2.96
190.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.12
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.19
$1.11 R$5.96
-0.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.82
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.37
$0.73 R$3.92
-32.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$1.86 R$10.02
122.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
$12.53 R$67.4
39.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.67 R$9.00
-3.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$2.29 R$12.32
21.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Cascavel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.31
$0.91 R$4.87
-4.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,826
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.06
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.80
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.90
$1.15 R$6.19
26.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.7K
$25.0K R$134.8K
-15.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.3K
$31.3K R$168.4K
-13.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Cascavel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,098
$52.9 R$285
17.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$9.67 R$52.0
25.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$22.11 R$119
-9.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Cascavel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
$17.43 R$93.8
114.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$5.53 R$29.79
17.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Cascavel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$208 R$1,121
253.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Cascavel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,801
$19.14 R$103
178.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$37.90 R$204
-34.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,087
$69.5 R$374
31.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,428
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Cascavel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$310 R$1,669
55.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$196 R$1,054
57.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$491 R$2,640
105.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$284 R$1,526
123.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$1,413 R$7,603
67.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$947 R$5,098
67.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Cascavel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$465 R$2,503
26.82%
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cascavel: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Cascavel
$196 36.6% $113
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Cascavel
$171 * 27.1% $64
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Cascavel
$57 * 47.6% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Cascavel
$85 10.3% $9.8
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Cascavel
$122 57.2% $44
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Cascavel
$3.6 * 94.1% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Cascavel
$29 43.3% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $310 in Cascavel. 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 27% 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 Cascavel. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $171 in Cascavel – so Cascavel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇧🇷 Cascavel
🕒 Local time
10:53 10:53 AM
00:53 12:53 AM
10 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
348,051
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 5.38 BRL (1 BRL = 0.186 USD). 1 EUR = 6.01 BRL (1 BRL = 0.166 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Cascavel 17,100 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Cascavel

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 Cascavel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chiang Mai and in Cascavel compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai, $662 in Cascavel – Cascavel comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Chiang Mai compared to Cascavel?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $993 in Cascavel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chiang Mai and Cascavel?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cascavel, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $310 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $22 in Cascavel. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 37% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How far does $1,200 go in Chiang Mai compared to Cascavel?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $662 in Cascavel, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Chiang Mai or Cascavel?
Families tend to lean toward Cascavel – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Chiang Mai and Cascavel?
If budget matters most, go with Cascavel. 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.

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