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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $661 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,085 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,509 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 31% 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 35% lower, Caxias do Sul 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$6.33 R$32.05

-69.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$26.77 R$135

-30.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$6.35 R$32.11

23.15%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.28 R$6.47

52.34%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.11 R$5.63

-23.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.66 R$3.34

-46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.84 R$9.30

15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.55 R$17.97

5.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.81 R$4.11

111.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.27 R$6.45

28.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.86 R$4.35

32.56%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.73 R$8.77

11.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.40 R$32.40

153.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.40 R$17.19

-8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.93 R$40.14

37.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.43 R$7.23

92.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.92 R$4.66

31.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.52 R$2.65

211.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.44 R$7.27

10.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.89 R$4.50

57.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.65 R$3.30

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.71 R$3.57

-7.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.59 R$2.98

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.98 R$10.02

136.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$4.08 R$20.62

357.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.99 R$5.01

81.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.87 R$9.48

72.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$1.24 R$6.26

-27.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$40.38 R$204

-52.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.59 R$8.04

-11.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$1.06 R$5.36

21.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.38 R$27.24

45.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.04 R$5.28

22.12%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$24.7K R$125.1K

-13.93%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$27.2K R$137.6K

-18.31%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$50.7 R$256

36.31%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$14.39 R$72.8

-2.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$18.21 R$92.1

-1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$24.09 R$122

70.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$53.3 R$269

-86.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.25 R$31.64

-5.28%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$314 R$1,587

-4.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$7,080 R$35.8K

111.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$42.85 R$217

27.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$39.19 R$198

-31.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$80.9 R$409

5.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$64.1 R$324

10.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$179 R$903

139.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$146 R$737

63.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$439 R$2,221

82.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$259 R$1,313

98.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,744 R$8,824

13.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,242 R$6,282

18.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$558 R$2,821

10.74%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Caxias do Sul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $179 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 11% 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 $27.00 in Caxias do Sul. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $144 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: $866 in Chiang Mai, $661 in Caxias do Sul – roughly 31% 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 $992 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 110% less in Caxias do Sul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $314 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $661 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 $661 in Caxias do Sul 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 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.