Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Novo Hamburgo

For one person, living is cheaper in Novo Hamburgo: $776 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Novo Hamburgo
Learn more

Novo Hamburgo Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Novo Hamburgo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$776

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Novo Hamburgo

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 Novo Hamburgo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $776 in Novo Hamburgo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Novo Hamburgo $776

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,241 in Novo Hamburgo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Novo Hamburgo $1,241

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,706 in Novo Hamburgo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Novo Hamburgo $1,706

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Novo Hamburgo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Novo Hamburgo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Novo Hamburgo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$4.88 R$24.74

-53.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$18.79 R$95.3

4.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$6.91 R$35.05

-18.81%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.58 R$7.99

5.06%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.29 R$6.53

-45.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.89 R$4.50

-65.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$2.47 R$12.53

-2.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.98 R$15.11

24.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$0.94 R$4.75

107.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$1.69 R$8.54

-16.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$0.78 R$3.95

67.95%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.16 R$10.97

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$9.19 R$46.58

81.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$4.56 R$23.12

-39.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$7.14 R$36.22

27.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$2.39 R$12.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.10 R$5.60

-6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.82 R$4.17

98.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.32 R$6.70

13.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.21 R$6.14

6.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.98 R$4.97

13.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.88 R$4.44

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.58 R$2.94

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$1.78 R$9.02

142.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$7.60 R$38.53

136.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.16 R$5.88

36.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.23 R$11.29

27.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.83 R$4.20

3.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$43.74 R$222

21.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.26 R$6.40

-3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.79 R$4.03

-27.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$8.16 R$41.35

-71.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.12 R$5.68

28.57%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$24.2K R$122.9K

-14.49%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$33.3K R$168.9K

-19.57%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$78.2 R$397

-20.32%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$12.71 R$64.4

-4.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$22.18 R$112

-10.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$26.30 R$133

40.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$27.58 R$140

-86.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$7.38 R$37.39

-11.92%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$281 R$1,425

181.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$7,080 R$35.9K

109.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$46.87 R$238

14.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$38.13 R$193

-35.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$80.3 R$407

13.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$42.13 R$214

68.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$267 R$1,354

70.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$190 R$965

56.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$571 R$2,892

59.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$444 R$2,249

24.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$1,709 R$8,661

13.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,221 R$6,191

18.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$510 R$2,585

15.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Novo Hamburgo: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Novo Hamburgo

$190 24.6% 36.1% $107

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Novo Hamburgo

$180 23.2% 23.7% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Novo Hamburgo

$93 12% 13.7% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Novo Hamburgo

$113 14.6% 19.9% $19

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Novo Hamburgo

$106 13.6% 34.5% $27

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Novo Hamburgo

$52 6.7% 14% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Novo Hamburgo

$41 5.3% 18% $9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $267 in Novo Hamburgo. 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 $19.00 in Novo Hamburgo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $180 – making Novo Hamburgo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇷 Novo Hamburgo

🕒 Local time

02:57 2:57 AM

16:57 4:57 PM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

227,646

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Novo Hamburgo 16,770 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Novo Hamburgo

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 Novo Hamburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Novo Hamburgo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,163 in Novo Hamburgo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $281 in Novo Hamburgo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 Novo Hamburgo, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Novo Hamburgo 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. Novo Hamburgo costs $776 versus $925 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 Novo Hamburgo. 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.