Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Castelo Branco Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Castelo Branco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,136 in Castelo Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,704 in Castelo Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,273 in Castelo Branco.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 24% less than in Castelo Branco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Castelo Branco 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$11.44 €9.85

-83.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$41.18 €35.46

-54.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$9.56 €8.23

-18.20%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.38 €1.18

41.30%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.70 €1.46

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$1.16 €1.00

-69.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.44 €1.24

47.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.94 €3.39

-5.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.06 €0.91

61.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.20 €1.04

35.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.66 €1.43

-31.33%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.92 €2.51

-33.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.02 €7.77

79.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.11 €4.40

-38.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.25 €7.10

32.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.81 €1.56

51.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.30 €1.12

-6.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.24 €1.07

30.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$2.51 €2.16

-36.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.06 €0.91

32.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.74 €1.50

-32.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.29 €1.11

-48.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.71 €0.61

-25.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.43 €5.54

-27.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$3.46 €2.98

439.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.79 €0.68

127.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.07 €0.92

201.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$1.18 €1.02

-23.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$42.85 €36.89

-55.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$2.28 €1.96

-38.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.71 €0.61

81.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$17.29 €14.89

-54.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.90 €1.63

-33.16%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$34.2K €29.5K

-37.80%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$39.5K €34.0K

-43.75%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$98.0 €84.4

-29.51%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$22.17 €19.09

-36.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$43.39 €37.37

-58.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$42.38 €36.49

-3.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.16 €6.16

-17.32%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$647 €557

-53.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$16.2K €14.0K

-7.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$58.5 €50.4

-6.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$67.4 €58.0

-60.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$73.5 €63.3

15.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$58.8 €50.7

20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$520 €448

-17.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$381 €328

-37.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$695 €599

15.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$637 €548

-19.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,661 €1,431

18.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,407 €1,212

4.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,658 €1,427

-62.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

-7.92%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Castelo Branco: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $520 in Castelo Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 168% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $41.00 in Castelo Branco. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $186, with Castelo Branco 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 Castelo Branco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Castelo Branco earns 168% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $520 in Castelo Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,136 in Castelo Branco – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 123% less than in Castelo Branco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,136 in Castelo Branco, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Castelo Branco. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Castelo Branco 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Castelo Branco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.