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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $886 in Manaus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,399 in Manaus, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,913 in Manaus, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Manaus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Manaus are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Manaus 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$5.70 R$29.39

-63.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$27.35 R$141

-28.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.69 R$34.46

-15.25%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.28 R$11.73

-20.61%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.05 R$5.43

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.78 R$4.04

-55.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.68 R$13.78

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$5.28 R$27.21

-28.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.38 R$7.12

48.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.55 R$7.98

-2.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.26 R$6.49

11.11%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.59 R$13.32

-12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$9.71 R$50.0

66.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.81 R$19.65

-23.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.03 R$36.23

34.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.33 R$12.00

15.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.63 R$8.40

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.42 R$7.31

14.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.97 R$10.14

-25.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.21 R$6.24

5.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.20 R$6.18

-11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.74 R$3.80

-2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.63 R$3.25

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.61 R$18.61

17.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$8.78 R$45.22

108.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.41 R$7.27

15.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.63 R$8.40

77.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.87 R$4.50

1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$38.18 R$197

40.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.95 R$4.88

23.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.84 R$4.34

-30.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$9.58 R$49.37

-75.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.32 R$6.81

9.85%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$23.2K R$119.5K

-9.39%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$32.0K R$164.8K

-17.39%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$115 R$591

-44.54%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$15.37 R$79.2

-16.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$24.52 R$126

-16.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$25.29 R$130

54.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$24.22 R$125

-83.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$6.20 R$31.97

6.13%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$219 R$1,127

258.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,047 R$26.0K

190.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$49.48 R$255

11.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$31.09 R$160

-20.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$58.4 R$301

61.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$69.0 R$356

7.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$620 R$3,196

-20.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$210 R$1,081

37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$924 R$4,762

-3.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$477 R$2,459

9.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,700 R$8,756

16.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,293 R$6,662

11.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$517 R$2,663

16.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.33

-46.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manaus: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $620 in Manaus. 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 16% 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 $27.00 in Manaus. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Manaus – so Manaus 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 Manaus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Manaus, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,329 in Manaus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $219 in Manaus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manaus, where all-in costs run around $886, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Manaus 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. Manaus costs $886 versus $932 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 Manaus. 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.