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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $842 in Ilheus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,348 in Ilheus, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,854 in Ilheus, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Ilheus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ilheus are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ilheus 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$4.16 R$21.35

-49.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$31.52 R$162

-37.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.24 R$37.12

-20.03%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.98 R$10.13

-7.58%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.22 R$6.24

-36.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.65 R$3.34

-52.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.77 R$9.07

32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.93 R$15.00

26.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.04 R$5.34

95.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.63 R$8.37

-1.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.23 R$6.32

15.45%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.19 R$11.23

-0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$18.74 R$96.1

-15.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.20 R$21.55

-26.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.98 R$40.90

23.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.14 R$10.96

22.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.26 R$6.48

-12.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.20 R$6.15

35.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.63 R$8.38

-6.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.17 R$6.01

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.10 R$5.64

2.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.77 R$3.97

-3.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.82 R$4.23

-39.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.37 R$12.13

80.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.11 R$36.44

152.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.26 R$6.43

34.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.10 R$10.78

38.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.97 R$4.96

-3.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$47.90 R$246

15.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.21 R$6.23

1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.88 R$4.53

-39.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$6.93 R$35.54

-65.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.15 R$5.87

25.22%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$20.5K R$105.3K

3.14%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$34.9K R$179.0K

-21.80%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$73.9 R$379

-12.10%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$11.97 R$61.4

11.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$20.48 R$105

1.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$26.85 R$138

50.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$25.65 R$131

-84.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.82 R$40.08

-14.19%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$306 R$1,566

157.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,568 R$38.8K

99.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$50.2 R$257

12.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$49.20 R$252

-49.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$93.3 R$478

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$60.7 R$311

23.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$221 R$1,134

118.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$194 R$992

48.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$555 R$2,846

63.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$424 R$2,174

25.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,607 R$8,240

23.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,050 R$5,384

38.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$576 R$2,951

5.15%

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 Ilheus: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $221 in Ilheus. 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 5% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Ilheus. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $216 in Ilheus – so Ilheus 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 Ilheus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Ilheus, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,263 in Ilheus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ilheus, 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 $306 in Ilheus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 Ilheus, where all-in costs run around $842, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Ilheus 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. Ilheus costs $842 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 Ilheus. 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.