Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Franco da Rocha Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Franco da Rocha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $891 in Franco da Rocha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,452 in Franco da Rocha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,012 in Franco da Rocha, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Franco da Rocha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Franco da Rocha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Franco da Rocha 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$6.85 R$35.10

-69.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$39.13 R$201

-49.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$8.92 R$45.73

-35.09%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.15 R$11.00

-14.88%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.71 R$8.79

-54.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.17 R$5.98

-73.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.87 R$14.74

-18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$4.93 R$25.28

-24.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.16 R$5.93

75.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.90 R$9.76

-15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.11 R$5.69

27.93%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.71 R$13.87

-19.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.50 R$43.58

87.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.37 R$22.39

-29.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.37 R$53.2

-4.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.74 R$14.04

-4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.81 R$9.27

-39.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.74 R$8.90

-6.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.82 R$9.35

-15.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.38 R$7.06

-10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.32 R$6.78

-14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.91 R$4.69

-18.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.74 R$3.78

-32.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.63 R$13.46

62.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$8.86 R$45.43

102.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.61 R$8.24

5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.35 R$22.29

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.92 R$4.71

2.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$41.69 R$214

32.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.24 R$6.37

-0.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.36 R$7.00

-61.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$9.29 R$47.60

-74.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.26 R$6.48

14.29%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$23.4K R$119.9K

-9.36%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$33.0K R$169.1K

-17.24%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$45.08 R$231

44.03%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$15.01 R$76.9

-11.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$17.60 R$90.2

18.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$25.53 R$131

58.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$27.07 R$139

-85.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.50 R$38.45

-10.53%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$413 R$2,116

90.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,334 R$37.6K

106.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$54.7 R$281

2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$56.6 R$290

-55.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$93.3 R$478

-0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$82.5 R$423

-8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$340 R$1,743

42.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$230 R$1,180

24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$632 R$3,239

43.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$451 R$2,312

17.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,627 R$8,340

21.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,116 R$5,719

30.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿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 7, 2026

Last update for Franco da Rocha: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $340 in Franco da Rocha. 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 $39.00 in Franco da Rocha. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $219 in Franco da Rocha – so Franco da Rocha 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 Franco da Rocha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Franco da Rocha, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,336 in Franco da Rocha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $413 in Franco da Rocha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Franco da Rocha, where all-in costs run around $891, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Franco da Rocha 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. Franco da Rocha costs $891 versus $950 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 Franco da Rocha. 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.