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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,020 in Chapeco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,519 in Chapeco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,018 in Chapeco.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 9% less than in Chapeco, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Chapeco 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$5.73 R$29.52

-63.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$39.40 R$203

-50.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.80 R$50.5

-42.14%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.94 R$9.99

-6.70%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.84 R$4.31

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.67 R$3.46

-47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.53 R$7.88

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.45 R$12.61

54.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.87 R$4.49

135.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.16 R$5.95

30.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.17 R$11.18

-35.48%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.93 R$9.97

17.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$8.98 R$46.25

80.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$8.17 R$42.07

-64.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$11.45 R$59.0

-17.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.55 R$13.15

5.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.08 R$5.59

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.56 R$2.86

189.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.81 R$4.16

80.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.81 R$4.19

58.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.59 R$3.06

79.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.94 R$4.83

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.79 R$4.09

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.58 R$13.29

63.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$9.75 R$50.2

87.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.93 R$4.80

75.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.53 R$7.90

89.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.95 R$4.87

-7.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$38.62 R$199

39.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.38 R$7.09

-15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.16 R$5.99

25.00%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$22.9K R$118.2K

-8.44%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$31.7K R$163.5K

-16.73%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$185 R$953

-65.58%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$11.17 R$57.6

15.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$19.58 R$101

4.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$26.26 R$135

48.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$35.58 R$183

-88.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$6.80 R$35.02

-3.24%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$29.62 R$153

86.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$19.41 R$100.0

27.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$39.49 R$203

138.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$58.4 R$301

26.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$426 R$2,196

15.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$343 R$1,767

-15.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$889 R$4,582

0.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$563 R$2,898

-7.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,675 R$8,631

17.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,079 R$5,558

33.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$435 R$2,239

38.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chapeco: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $426 in Chapeco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $39.00 in Chapeco. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $208, with Chapeco 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 Chapeco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Chapeco. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $426 in Chapeco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Chapeco pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,020 in Chapeco – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,020 in Chapeco, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Chapeco. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $932 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Chapeco 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 9% less than in Chapeco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.