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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $850 in Jacareí, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,368 in Jacareí, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,886 in Jacareí, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Jacareí, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Jacareí are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Jacareí 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$6.83 R$35.49

-69.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$30.20 R$157

-34.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$6.73 R$34.96

-13.08%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.14 R$11.09

-17.76%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.55 R$8.05

-52.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.89 R$4.60

-62.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.43 R$12.62

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.81 R$14.60

38.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.16 R$6.01

63.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.89 R$9.80

-11.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.13 R$5.87

19.47%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.26 R$11.76

-5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$8.45 R$43.90

88.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$4.23 R$21.96

-33.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$9.36 R$48.60

12.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$2.12 R$11.02

12.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.77 R$9.17

-39.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.72 R$8.93

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.78 R$9.25

-15.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.27 R$6.60

0.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.25 R$6.51

-12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.89 R$4.62

-22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.77 R$3.98

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.24 R$11.66

90.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$7.75 R$40.25

116.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.34 R$6.95

23.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$1.93 R$10.00

45.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$0.91 R$4.74

-1.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

$46.64 R$242

17.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$1.23 R$6.38

-2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$1.35 R$7.01

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$9.09 R$47.18

-73.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.24 R$6.42

15.32%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$22.8K R$118.6K

-7.71%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$32.2K R$167.1K

-15.67%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$44.26 R$230

46.27%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$11.86 R$61.6

11.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$21.38 R$111

-9.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$28.18 R$146

39.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

$29.23 R$152

-87.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$7.90 R$41.03

-16.20%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$266 R$1,380

202.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$7,404 R$38.4K

104.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$53.4 R$277

2.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$35.96 R$187

-29.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$92.5 R$481

-0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$56.5 R$293

32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$383 R$1,991

21.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$230 R$1,195

22.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$652 R$3,386

36.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$486 R$2,525

7.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$1,715 R$8,908

15.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$1,153 R$5,985

26.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

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: August 17, 2026

Last update for Jacareí: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $383 in Jacareí. 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 $30.00 in Jacareí. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $201 in Jacareí – so Jacareí 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 Jacareí: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Jacareí, 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,275 in Jacareí. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $805 per month in Chiang Mai and $266 in Jacareí. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jacareí, where all-in costs run around $850, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Jacareí 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. Jacareí costs $850 versus $920 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 Jacareí. 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.