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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $781 in Crato, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,240 in Crato, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,699 in Crato, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Crato, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Crato are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Crato 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.53 R$28.07

-63.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$27.17 R$138

-31.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.20 R$31.46

26.77%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.77 R$8.98

14.69%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.07 R$5.45

-25.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.67 R$3.39

-47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.82 R$9.21

17.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.73 R$13.85

34.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.00 R$5.10

73.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.52 R$7.70

3.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.13 R$5.75

6.19%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.97 R$9.98

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.35 R$42.37

94.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.72 R$18.85

-17.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.15 R$36.26

51.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.04 R$10.37

35.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.30 R$6.60

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.20 R$6.10

42.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.51 R$7.64

5.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.20 R$6.07

15.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.11 R$5.64

4.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.69 R$3.50

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.62 R$3.13

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.14 R$10.87

117.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.43 R$42.77

110.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.22 R$6.17

46.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.00 R$10.13

67.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.87 R$4.39

4.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$39.15 R$199

-52.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.09 R$5.54

29.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.74 R$3.76

81.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.25 R$31.73

29.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.07 R$5.44

14.95%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$20.4K R$103.6K

5.03%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.1K R$142.4K

-22.26%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$59.5 R$302

19.86%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$13.56 R$68.8

3.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$18.82 R$95.5

-4.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$22.35 R$113

82.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$21.43 R$109

-67.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.43 R$32.63

-11.04%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$274 R$1,389

12.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,561 R$33.3K

123.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$48.96 R$248

13.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$42.04 R$213

-38.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$76.5 R$388

10.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$65.7 R$333

8.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$310 R$1,575

36.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$213 R$1,082

13.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$588 R$2,983

35.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$425 R$2,156

19.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,686 R$8,558

13.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,224 R$6,213

19.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Crato: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $310 in Crato. 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 $27.00 in Crato. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $176 in Crato – so Crato 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 Crato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Crato, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,172 in Crato. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $274 in Crato. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 $781 in Crato, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Crato costs $781 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 Crato. 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.