Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mogi das Cruzes Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mogi das Cruzes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $845 in Mogi das Cruzes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,256 in Mogi das Cruzes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,667 in Mogi das Cruzes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Mogi das Cruzes, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Mogi das Cruzes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Mogi das Cruzes 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$7.34 R$36.53

-72.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$22.43 R$112

-18.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$5.78 R$28.81

32.35%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$1.47 R$7.33

30.61%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$0.78 R$3.87

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.81 R$4.04

-55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$1.82 R$9.06

20.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$2.15 R$10.69

76.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$0.95 R$4.71

72.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$1.61 R$8.01

0.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.19 R$5.92

-3.36%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$2.31 R$11.48

-16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$7.32 R$36.47

117.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$3.17 R$15.78

-2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$8.54 R$42.53

29.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$1.96 R$9.74

38.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$1.68 R$8.36

-29.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.40 R$6.95

22.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$1.72 R$8.56

-6.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$1.41 R$7.00

-1.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$1.16 R$5.77

-0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.86 R$4.29

-17.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.62 R$3.09

-11.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$1.82 R$9.04

151.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$8.00 R$39.85

135.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.32 R$6.59

37.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.98 R$9.88

62.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$1.00 R$5.00

-12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$91.0 R$453

-79.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$0.92 R$4.60

53.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$0.59 R$2.92

120.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$4.53 R$22.54

81.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.04 R$5.16

18.27%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$12.5K R$62.1K

69.72%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$14.6K R$72.7K

52.91%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$52.2 R$260

33.93%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$9.65 R$48.05

45.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$21.99 R$110

-19.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$29.02 R$145

42.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$10.65 R$53.1

-37.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$7.04 R$35.05

-18.47%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$183 R$912

63.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$8,798 R$43.8K

70.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$32.07 R$160

70.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$31.66 R$158

-16.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$54.1 R$269

56.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$39.84 R$198

75.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$342 R$1,704

24.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$244 R$1,216

-1.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$652 R$3,246

24.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$350 R$1,745

42.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$1,568 R$7,811

28.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$1,266 R$6,306

20.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$337 R$1,678

89.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.17

-55.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Mogi das Cruzes: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $342 in Mogi das Cruzes. 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 90% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $22 in Mogi das Cruzes. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $181 in Mogi das Cruzes – so Mogi das Cruzes 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 Mogi das Cruzes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Mogi das Cruzes, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,268 in Mogi das Cruzes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $183 in Mogi das Cruzes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $872 in Chiang Mai and $845 in Mogi das Cruzes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mogi das Cruzes costs $845 versus $872 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 Mogi das Cruzes. 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.