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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $739 in Cascavel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,135 in Cascavel, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,531 in Cascavel, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Cascavel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cascavel are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Cascavel 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$10.92 R$55.3

-82.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$21.74 R$110

-14.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$6.25 R$31.63

25.12%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.18 R$5.98

65.25%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.16 R$5.88

-26.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.49 R$2.48

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.07 R$5.39

99.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.05 R$10.36

81.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.87 R$4.41

96.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.21 R$6.14

34.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.56 R$7.91

-26.92%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.94 R$9.81

-0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.65 R$48.82

67.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.26 R$16.48

-4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.31 R$31.95

72.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.18 R$11.02

26.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.83 R$4.20

45.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.55 R$2.81

194.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.46 R$7.41

8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.20 R$6.08

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.10 R$5.58

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.71 R$3.57

-7.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.71 R$3.58

-25.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.79 R$9.07

162.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$13.62 R$68.9

37.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.62 R$8.20

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.20 R$11.14

46.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.87 R$4.41

3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$38.66 R$196

-50.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.11 R$5.61

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.76 R$3.86

69.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.26 R$31.69

25.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.05 R$5.30

20.95%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$21.7K R$109.6K

-1.74%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$28.9K R$146.1K

-23.08%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$53.1 R$269

30.15%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.72 R$49.16

44.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$20.92 R$106

-13.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$17.06 R$86.3

140.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$21.57 R$109

-67.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.25 R$26.57

12.76%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$199 R$1,006

50.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$6,591 R$33.3K

126.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$18.83 R$95.3

190.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$36.51 R$185

-26.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$66.2 R$335

28.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$64.0 R$324

10.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$296 R$1,495

44.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$189 R$958

25.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$477 R$2,414

67.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$280 R$1,415

84.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,507 R$7,625

31.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$983 R$4,972

50.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$497 R$2,512

24.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

-54.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cascavel: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $296 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 24% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Cascavel. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $181 in Cascavel – so Cascavel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $739 in Cascavel – roughly 17% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,109 in Cascavel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $199 in Cascavel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $739 in Cascavel, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $739 in Cascavel to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Cascavel. 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.