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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $785 in Itaquaquecetuba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,229 in Itaquaquecetuba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,673 in Itaquaquecetuba, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.46 R$27.71

-62.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$27.44 R$139

-31.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.23 R$31.62

26.16%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.78 R$9.04

14.04%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.12 R$5.68

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.62 R$3.16

-43.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.79 R$9.08

19.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.62 R$13.30

40.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.99 R$5.01

74.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.52 R$7.72

3.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.13 R$5.75

6.19%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.03 R$10.28

-2.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.19 R$41.55

98.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.71 R$18.82

-17.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.17 R$36.39

50.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.04 R$10.35

35.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.29 R$6.57

-9.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.20 R$6.07

42.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.50 R$7.60

6.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.20 R$6.10

15.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.11 R$5.63

4.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.74 R$3.77

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.63 R$3.17

-17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.19 R$11.11

112.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.99 R$40.56

122.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.27 R$6.46

40.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.05 R$10.39

62.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.89 R$4.51

2.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$38.91 R$197

-52.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.11 R$5.61

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.75 R$3.78

78.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.42 R$32.56

26.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.08 R$5.47

13.89%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.1K R$107.1K

1.52%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.8K R$140.9K

-21.41%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$59.7 R$303

19.54%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$13.75 R$69.8

1.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$19.08 R$96.8

-6.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$22.11 R$112

84.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$21.51 R$109

-68.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.23 R$31.63

-8.19%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$267 R$1,353

15.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,416 R$32.6K

128.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$49.65 R$252

12.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$42.88 R$218

-39.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$75.0 R$380

13.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$63.8 R$323

11.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$318 R$1,615

32.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$213 R$1,079

14.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$588 R$2,985

35.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$421 R$2,137

20.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,469 R$7,452

30.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,315 R$6,673

11.32%

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 Itaquaquecetuba: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $318 in Itaquaquecetuba. 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 Itaquaquecetuba. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $175 in Itaquaquecetuba – so Itaquaquecetuba 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 Itaquaquecetuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Itaquaquecetuba, 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 $1,177 in Itaquaquecetuba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Itaquaquecetuba, 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 $267 in Itaquaquecetuba. 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $785 in Itaquaquecetuba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Itaquaquecetuba costs $785 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 Itaquaquecetuba. 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.