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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $733 in Cerquilho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,167 in Cerquilho, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,601 in Cerquilho, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Cerquilho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cerquilho are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Cerquilho 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.46 R$32.24

-69.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$28.30 R$141

-33.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.09 R$35.36

11.71%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.77 R$8.84

7.91%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.31 R$6.53

-35.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.86 R$4.31

-59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.06 R$5.27

108.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.65 R$13.21

43.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.08 R$5.41

51.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.42 R$7.09

14.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.26 R$6.26

-6.35%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.35 R$11.73

-14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.34 R$41.59

90.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$1.84 R$9.18

63.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$5.39 R$26.89

99.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.84 R$9.18

41.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.81 R$9.05

-32.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.05 R$5.23

61.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.52 R$7.61

3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.29 R$6.45

2.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.55 R$2.76

112.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.79 R$3.92

-15.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.52 R$2.62

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$1.24 R$6.21

265.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$9.28 R$46.33

96.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.09 R$5.46

67.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.68 R$13.36

20.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.89 R$4.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$38.13 R$190

-49.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.94 R$4.69

43.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.02 R$5.09

32.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$8.47 R$42.29

-2.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.00 R$5.01

27.00%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$22.2K R$111.0K

-4.90%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.7K R$143.4K

-21.77%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$47.84 R$239

46.63%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$12.65 R$63.1

8.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$14.25 R$71.1

23.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$22.80 R$114

82.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$21.97 R$110

-69.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.33 R$26.59

8.44%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$317 R$1,579

-3.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,865 R$34.3K

115.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$30.72 R$153

76.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$17.83 R$89.0

46.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$53.7 R$268

57.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$71.2 R$355

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$316 R$1,578

33.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$220 R$1,099

8.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$589 R$2,937

40.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$422 R$2,104

22.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,774 R$8,854

15.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,095 R$5,463

39.09%

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 Cerquilho: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $316 in Cerquilho. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Cerquilho. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $166 in Cerquilho – so Cerquilho 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 Cerquilho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Cerquilho, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,100 in Cerquilho. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $317 in Cerquilho. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $733 in Cerquilho, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerquilho costs $733 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Cerquilho. 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.