Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Governador Valadares Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Governador Valadares

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $622 in Governador Valadares, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $999 in Governador Valadares, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,377 in Governador Valadares, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Governador Valadares, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Governador Valadares are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Governador Valadares 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.25 R$21.21

-53.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$25.27 R$126

-25.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.39 R$31.91

23.94%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.73 R$8.61

10.40%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.85 R$4.23

-1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.38 R$1.87

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.40 R$7.01

57.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.15 R$10.71

76.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.81 R$4.04

102.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.20 R$6.00

35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.93 R$4.65

26.88%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.61 R$8.04

24.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$6.65 R$33.21

138.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$2.99 R$14.94

0.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$4.88 R$24.33

120.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.93 R$9.61

35.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.23 R$6.13

-0.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.10 R$5.48

54.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.10 R$5.47

43.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.15 R$5.76

14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.11 R$5.55

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.62 R$3.10

8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.56 R$2.82

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$1.44 R$7.19

214.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.91 R$29.50

207.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.74 R$3.69

147.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.28 R$6.39

152.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.85 R$4.23

4.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$38.58 R$193

-49.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.14 R$5.71

18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.52 R$2.61

159.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.67 R$18.30

124.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.06 R$5.29

19.81%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$14.4K R$71.8K

46.95%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$20.9K R$104.1K

7.82%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$49.27 R$246

42.38%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$7.02 R$35.05

96.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$18.64 R$93.0

-5.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$19.33 R$96.5

115.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$21.75 R$109

-69.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.24 R$36.12

-20.17%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$127 R$634

141.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,523 R$32.6K

127.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$25.76 R$129

111.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$41.09 R$205

-36.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$82.3 R$410

2.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$71.0 R$354

-2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$219 R$1,093

93.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$129 R$645

84.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$371 R$1,850

122.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$289 R$1,440

78.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,393 R$6,951

47.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,478 R$7,373

3.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$360 R$1,798

76.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.38

-51.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Governador Valadares: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $219 in Governador Valadares. 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 76% 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 $25.00 in Governador Valadares. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $140 in Governador Valadares – so Governador Valadares 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 Governador Valadares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Governador Valadares, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $933 in Governador Valadares. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $127 in Governador Valadares. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $622 in Governador Valadares, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Governador Valadares costs $622 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 Governador Valadares. 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.