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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $783 in Castanhal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,249 in Castanhal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $1,714 in Castanhal.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 9% more expensive than Castanhal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Castanhal 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.37 R$26.78

-63.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$26.67 R$133

-29.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.45 R$32.19

22.79%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.77 R$8.86

7.91%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.09 R$5.42

-22.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.66 R$3.30

-46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.77 R$8.84

24.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.66 R$13.27

42.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.93 R$4.64

76.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.44 R$7.21

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.13 R$5.62

4.42%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.05 R$10.22

-1.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.19 R$40.86

94.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.58 R$17.87

-15.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.19 R$35.88

49.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.07 R$10.33

26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.26 R$6.30

-3.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.18 R$5.90

44.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.52 R$7.59

3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.16 R$5.78

13.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.05 R$5.23

11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.75 R$3.74

-10.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.61 R$3.06

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.08 R$10.36

117.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.59 R$37.89

139.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.21 R$6.03

51.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.00 R$9.99

61.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.94 R$4.69

-5.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$38.11 R$190

-49.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.06 R$5.28

27.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.72 R$3.58

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.54 R$32.62

26.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.04 R$5.17

22.12%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$21.0K R$104.9K

0.60%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$27.6K R$137.8K

-18.56%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$61.4 R$306

14.31%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$13.58 R$67.8

1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$19.07 R$95.2

-7.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$22.85 R$114

81.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$21.47 R$107

-69.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.24 R$31.12

-7.37%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$270 R$1,349

13.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,409 R$32.0K

131.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$49.43 R$247

9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$41.81 R$209

-37.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$76.3 R$381

10.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$63.9 R$319

8.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$313 R$1,562

35.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$218 R$1,087

9.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$578 R$2,882

42.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$435 R$2,172

18.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,520 R$7,586

34.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,127 R$5,624

35.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Castanhal: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $313 in Castanhal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $27.00 in Castanhal. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $172, with Castanhal 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 Castanhal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castanhal wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Castanhal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,278 in Chiang Mai and $1,175 in Castanhal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $313 in Castanhal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Castanhal – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $783 in Castanhal – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Castanhal gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Castanhal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $783 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Castanhal hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Castanhal 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 Castanhal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.