Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Feira de Santana Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Feira de Santana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $607 in Feira de Santana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $966 in Feira de Santana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,325 in Feira de Santana, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Feira de Santana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Feira de Santana are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Feira de Santana 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$4.37 R$22.11

-55.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$17.01 R$86.1

9.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.27 R$26.66

48.39%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.24 R$6.27

57.26%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.75 R$3.78

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.43 R$2.19

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.67 R$8.43

27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.55 R$12.88

46.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.98 R$4.97

74.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.29 R$6.54

26.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.03 R$5.19

10.68%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.56 R$7.92

23.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.15 R$31.13

163.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.26 R$16.51

-4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.50 R$32.89

67.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.28 R$11.54

20.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.14 R$5.77

6.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.65 R$3.30

149.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.99 R$5.02

60.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.93 R$4.70

50.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.82 R$4.14

42.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.46 R$2.33

43.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.57 R$2.90

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.78 R$14.04

68.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$5.97 R$30.20

212.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.67 R$8.44

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.53 R$12.82

27.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.96 R$4.84

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$39.26 R$199

-51.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.07 R$5.40

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$1.14 R$5.78

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.01 R$30.41

30.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.13 R$5.70

12.39%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$35.7K R$180.7K

-40.43%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$27.1K R$137.1K

-18.03%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$26.79 R$136

157.82%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$5.51 R$27.88

155.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$15.37 R$77.8

17.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$18.16 R$91.9

126.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$22.01 R$111

-68.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.58 R$18.11

65.36%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$169 R$854

77.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$4,851 R$24.5K

208.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$53.1 R$269

3.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$49.20 R$249

-45.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$84.7 R$429

0.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$87.3 R$442

-19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$164 R$828

161.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$121 R$611

96.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$297 R$1,501

170.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$216 R$1,091

138.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$300 R$1,516

106.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-54.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Feira de Santana: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $164 in Feira de Santana. 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 106% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Feira de Santana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $152 – making Feira de Santana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Feira de Santana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Feira de Santana, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $911 in Feira de Santana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $169 in Feira de Santana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $607 in Feira de Santana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Feira de Santana costs $607 versus $866 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 Feira de Santana. 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.