Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Caxias do Sul Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Caxias do Sul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $678 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,093 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,508 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Caxias do Sul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Caxias do Sul are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Caxias do Sul 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$6.21 R$31.60

-68.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$27.32 R$139

-32.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.36 R$32.39

17.61%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.32 R$6.70

53.03%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.11 R$5.66

-23.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.64 R$3.27

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.84 R$9.37

16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.65 R$18.59

-1.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.78 R$3.96

111.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.30 R$6.61

20.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.88 R$4.50

35.23%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.76 R$8.94

10.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.35 R$32.35

154.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.46 R$17.61

-13.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.96 R$40.51

37.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.48 R$7.53

83.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.00 R$5.09

17.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.51 R$2.61

231.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.45 R$7.37

10.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.94 R$4.78

46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.61 R$3.13

96.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.75 R$3.82

-10.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.58 R$2.94

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.96 R$9.97

136.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$3.86 R$19.66

356.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.02 R$5.18

82.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.82 R$9.27

81.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.24 R$6.29

-29.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$38.99 R$199

-50.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.66 R$8.45

-18.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.01 R$5.15

32.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.36 R$27.31

53.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.04 R$5.28

17.31%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$24.3K R$123.6K

-12.04%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$28.1K R$143.2K

-19.88%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$50.8 R$259

39.17%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$14.84 R$75.6

-5.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$18.45 R$94.0

-5.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$23.51 R$120

79.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$53.3 R$272

-87.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.35 R$32.31

-6.77%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$310 R$1,580

-0.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$7,087 R$36.1K

109.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$42.78 R$218

30.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$40.17 R$205

-35.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$82.3 R$419

0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$62.2 R$317

13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$182 R$928

136.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$147 R$748

62.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$442 R$2,248

86.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$256 R$1,302

100.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,688 R$8,592

13.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,218 R$6,199

20.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$534 R$2,719

8.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-50.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Caxias do Sul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $182 in Caxias do Sul. 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 9% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Caxias do Sul. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $145 in Caxias do Sul – so Caxias do Sul 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 Caxias do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai, $678 in Caxias do Sul – roughly 27% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,017 in Caxias do Sul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 102% less in Caxias do Sul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $310 in Caxias do Sul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $678 in Caxias do Sul, 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 $678 in Caxias do Sul to $861 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 Caxias do Sul. 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.