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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,102 in Castelo Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,702 in Castelo Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,303 in Castelo Branco.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 22% less than in Castelo Branco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Castelo Branco 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$11.59 €10.14

-83.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$40.01 €35.01

-54.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$9.69 €8.47

-22.81%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.38 €1.20

46.38%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.72 €1.51

-50.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.12 €0.98

-67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.43 €1.25

49.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.11 €3.60

-12.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.06 €0.93

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.25 €1.10

25.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.66 €1.45

-28.31%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.77 €2.42

-29.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$9.24 €8.08

75.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.90 €4.29

-38.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.48 €7.42

29.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.84 €1.61

47.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.35 €1.18

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.24 €1.08

36.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.54 €2.22

-37.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.01 €0.89

36.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.67 €1.46

-28.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.24 €1.09

-45.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.70 €0.61

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$6.64 €5.81

-30.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$3.44 €3.01

412.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.83 €0.72

124.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.06 €0.93

211.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$1.17 €1.03

-24.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$41.77 €36.54

-53.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$2.30 €2.01

-40.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.71 €0.62

88.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$17.38 €15.21

-52.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.98 €1.74

-38.38%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$35.2K €30.8K

-39.31%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$39.5K €34.6K

-43.00%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$98.7 €86.3

-28.38%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$21.98 €19.23

-36.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$43.18 €37.78

-59.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$42.51 €37.19

-0.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.48 €6.54

-20.86%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$627 €548

-50.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$16.0K €14.0K

-7.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$57.5 €50.3

-3.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$67.3 €58.9

-61.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$72.6 €63.5

14.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$57.6 €50.4

22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$512 €448

-15.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$383 €335

-37.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$700 €613

17.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$648 €567

-21.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,617 €1,414

18.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,380 €1,208

6.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,627 €1,424

-64.40%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Castelo Branco: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $512 in Castelo Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 181% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $40.00 in Castelo Branco. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 181% lower in Castelo Branco. 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $512 in Castelo Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,102 in Castelo Branco – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 116% less than in Castelo Branco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,102 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 28% less than in Castelo Branco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.