Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mindelo

For one person, living is cheaper in Mindelo: $387 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Mindelo

🇨🇻 Cape Verde

$387

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Mindelo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Mindelo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $387 in Mindelo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Mindelo $387

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $897 in Mindelo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Mindelo $897

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,406 in Mindelo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Mindelo $1,406

Chiang Mai costs about 141% more than Mindelo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Mindelo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Mindelo 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$8.83 CVE 869

-74.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$56.9 CVE 5,601

-66.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.11 CVE 109

50.45%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$1.26 CVE 124

-49.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$1.03 CVE 102

-69.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.73 CVE 269

-13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.49 CVE 147

145.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.44 CVE 142

35.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$1.10 CVE 108

30.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.79 CVE 78.2

68.35%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.52 CVE 248

-9.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$15.86 CVE 1,563

3.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$17.60 CVE 1,734

-47.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.23 CVE 220

5.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.95 CVE 192

-50.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.92 CVE 288

-45.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.99 CVE 294

-49.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.77 CVE 75.9

66.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.64 CVE 161

-32.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.04 CVE 102

-31.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.71 CVE 69.9

-30.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$5.04 CVE 496

-17.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$8.10 CVE 798

116.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.89 CVE 187

-14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.05 CVE 202

35.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.41 CVE 40.26

112.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$30.74 CVE 3,028

75.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.51 CVE 148

-23.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.48 CVE 146

-64.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$10.18 CVE 1,003

-76.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.75 CVE 172

-17.14%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$3.01 CVE 297

25.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$361 CVE 35.6K

178.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$251 CVE 24.8K

151.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Mindelo

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Mindelo

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Mindelo

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Mindelo

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Mindelo

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Mindelo

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Mindelo

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $57 in Mindelo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $237 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇻 Mindelo

🕒 Local time

18:09 6:09 PM

10:09 10:09 AM

8 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

70,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Cabo Verdean Escudo CVE $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 CVE = 10.15 USD

1,000 CVE = 9.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CVE, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Cabo Verdean Escudo exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 98.5 CVE (100 CVE = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 110 CVE (1,000 CVE = 9.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Mindelo 12,720 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Mindelo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mindelo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 141% more than Mindelo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $581 in Mindelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $387 in Mindelo. That makes Mindelo about 59% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $387 in Mindelo to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.