Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Maceio - Alagoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Maceio - Alagoas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $832 in Maceio - Alagoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,265 in Maceio - Alagoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,698 in Maceio - Alagoas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Maceio - Alagoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Maceio - Alagoas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Maceio - Alagoas 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.99 R$25.33

-59.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$21.80 R$111

-14.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.30 R$26.89

48.30%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.87 R$9.51

8.56%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.97 R$4.91

-17.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.42 R$2.15

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.46 R$7.41

46.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.57 R$13.06

42.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.04 R$5.28

66.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.25 R$6.32

25.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.90 R$4.57

33.33%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.25 R$11.41

-12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.85 R$34.76

136.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.41 R$17.32

-10.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.19 R$36.50

50.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.42 R$12.29

14.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.05 R$5.31

11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.25 R$6.34

36.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.26 R$6.37

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.31 R$6.65

6.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.13 R$5.74

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.58 R$2.94

13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.61 R$3.10

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$1.87 R$9.50

148.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.86 R$34.81

159.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.40 R$7.10

27.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.34 R$6.78

149.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.70 R$3.53

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$38.35 R$195

-51.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.37 R$1.89

281.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.32 R$1.64

318.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.08 R$30.84

33.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.06 R$5.37

16.04%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$25.7K R$130.2K

-16.45%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$29.7K R$150.5K

-26.42%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$72.5 R$368

-1.60%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$17.04 R$86.5

-17.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$15.34 R$77.8

16.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$22.63 R$115

80.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$22.01 R$112

-68.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.51 R$27.97

3.81%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$237 R$1,200

30.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,956 R$25.1K

196.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$49.55 R$251

12.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$68.5 R$348

-62.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$88.5 R$449

-4.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$72.2 R$367

-1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$253 R$1,282

67.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$256 R$1,299

-5.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$532 R$2,702

49.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$413 R$2,098

22.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,485 R$7,536

29.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$695 R$3,526

110.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$575 R$2,919

3.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

-47.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Maceio - Alagoas: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $253 in Maceio - Alagoas. 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 3% 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 $22.00 in Maceio - Alagoas. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $164 in Maceio - Alagoas – so Maceio - Alagoas 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 Maceio - Alagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Maceio - Alagoas, 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 $1,248 in Maceio - Alagoas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maceio - Alagoas, 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 $237 in Maceio - Alagoas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $832 in Maceio - Alagoas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maceio - Alagoas costs $832 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 Maceio - Alagoas. 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.