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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,089 in Chaves, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,663 in Chaves, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,237 in Chaves, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Chaves, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Chaves are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Chaves 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$8.07 €7.04

-74.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$22.97 €20.03

-14.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.99 €6.96

-29.04%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.66 €1.44

9.04%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.49 €1.30

-48.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.60 €0.52

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.36 €2.06

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.80 €2.44

35.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.02 €0.89

100.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.17 €1.02

29.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.14 €1.00

22.81%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.17 €2.77

-28.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$6.38 €5.57

153.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.62 €5.77

-56.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$10.65 €9.28

-11.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.15 €1.00

133.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.13 €0.98

-3.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.18 €1.02

37.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.13 €0.98

29.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.10 €1.83

-39.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.13 €0.99

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.47 €1.28

-51.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.82 €0.72

-35.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.16 €5.37

-31.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$4.02 €3.51

354.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.14 €0.99

42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.14 €1.00

154.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.94 €0.82

-6.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$28.68 €25.00

87.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$3.94 €3.44

-70.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.71 €0.62

-18.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$20.06 €17.49

-88.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$2.08 €1.81

-30.29%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$35.2K €30.7K

-40.29%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$40.0K €34.9K

-33.95%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$140 €122

-54.41%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$18.60 €16.22

-30.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$33.18 €28.92

-38.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$26.32 €22.95

48.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$5.84 €5.09

-32.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.48 €6.52

-12.03%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$231 €202

238.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$3,759 €3,277

290.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$75.2 €65.6

-26.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$23.26 €20.27

6.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$66.6 €58.0

41.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$91.4 €79.6

-19.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$496 €433

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$389 €339

-25.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$983 €857

-9.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$773 €674

-32.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,977 €1,723

-0.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,479 €1,289

-2.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$1,037 €904

-41.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

85.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chaves: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $496 in Chaves. 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 72% higher in Chaves, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Chaves. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $187 in Chaves – so Chaves 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 Chaves: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chaves costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,634 in Chaves. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 87% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $231 in Chaves. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Chaves at $1,089. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chaves it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,089 in Chaves. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chaves makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.