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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $792 in Cerquilho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,279 in Cerquilho, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,765 in Cerquilho, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Cerquilho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cerquilho are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Cerquilho 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$6.88 R$35.36

-69.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$30.59 R$157

-35.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.77 R$39.93

-27.03%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.94 R$9.95

-6.70%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.57 R$8.08

-50.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.19 R$6.12

-70.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.14 R$5.85

93.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.85 R$14.65

32.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.19 R$6.11

72.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.59 R$8.19

-5.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.11 R$5.69

26.13%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.73 R$14.05

-17.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$8.78 R$45.17

84.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.98 R$10.19

46.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$5.92 R$30.44

59.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.00 R$10.29

34.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.76 R$9.07

-38.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.20 R$6.16

35.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.84 R$9.44

-20.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.35 R$6.92

-5.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.59 R$3.04

79.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.93 R$4.78

-22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.55 R$2.85

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.33 R$6.86

218.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$8.71 R$44.79

109.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.18 R$6.08

38.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.84 R$14.60

2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.85 R$4.35

3.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$41.71 R$214

28.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.29 R$6.66

-9.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.34 R$6.89

-56.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$9.28 R$47.73

-74.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.15 R$5.90

26.09%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$23.3K R$119.6K

-9.64%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$33.3K R$171.2K

-20.64%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$45.87 R$236

38.76%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$13.73 R$70.6

-6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$15.28 R$78.6

34.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$25.79 R$133

51.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$24.12 R$124

-83.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.70 R$39.62

-14.55%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$425 R$2,187

84.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,603 R$39.1K

92.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$33.00 R$170

67.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$19.30 R$99.3

28.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$58.2 R$299

61.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$81.4 R$418

-9.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$375 R$1,928

30.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$247 R$1,271

16.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$588 R$3,024

51.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$423 R$2,173

23.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,813 R$9,324

8.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,188 R$6,108

21.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.12

-49.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cerquilho: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $375 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Cerquilho. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $176 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 18% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,189 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $425 in Cerquilho. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cerquilho, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Cerquilho it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerquilho costs $792 versus $932 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.