Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Passos

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Passos: $925 and $956 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Passos
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Passos Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Passos

🇧🇷 Brazil

$956

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $956 in Passos, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Passos $956

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,537 in Passos, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Passos $1,537

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,119 in Passos, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Passos $2,119

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Passos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Passos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Passos 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$10.06 R$51.0

-77.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$35.57 R$180

-44.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$8.86 R$44.91

-36.68%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.28 R$11.54

-27.19%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.34 R$6.80

-47.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.95 R$4.80

-67.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$2.44 R$12.39

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$4.05 R$20.51

-8.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.06 R$5.40

83.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$2.05 R$10.40

-31.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.37 R$6.95

-4.38%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.61 R$13.22

-16.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$10.74 R$54.4

55.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$4.97 R$25.18

-44.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$10.75 R$54.5

-15.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$2.34 R$11.87

2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.66 R$8.42

-37.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.53 R$7.76

6.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.37 R$6.94

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.30 R$6.60

-0.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.24 R$6.29

-10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.99 R$5.01

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.85 R$4.31

-37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.43 R$12.34

77.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$8.08 R$40.96

122.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.56 R$7.89

1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.51 R$12.74

13.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$1.00 R$5.05

-14.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$43.39 R$220

22.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.17 R$5.93

3.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.72 R$3.66

-20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$8.38 R$42.46

-71.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.28 R$6.48

12.50%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$24.0K R$121.6K

-13.58%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$32.0K R$162.0K

-16.16%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$67.4 R$342

-7.56%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$15.00 R$76.1

-19.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$22.66 R$115

-12.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$25.76 R$131

43.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$27.49 R$139

-86.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$8.17 R$41.40

-20.44%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$443 R$2,246

78.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$10.8K R$54.8K

36.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$64.4 R$326

-16.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$57.0 R$289

-56.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$88.5 R$449

2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$79.4 R$402

-10.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$354 R$1,797

28.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$242 R$1,225

23.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$687 R$3,485

32.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$475 R$2,410

16.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$1,693 R$8,582

14.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,181 R$5,984

22.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$419 R$2,122

41.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.81

-48.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Passos: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Passos

$242 25.3% 18.8% $56

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Passos

$221 23.1% 6.4% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Passos

$130 13.6% 20.3% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Passos

$105 11% 11.3% $11

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Passos

$164 17.2% 109% $85

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Passos

$52 5.5% 14.2% $8.6

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Passos

$42 4.4% 15.9% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $354 in Passos. 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 41% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Passos. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $221 in Passos – so Passos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇷 Passos

🕒 Local time

11:35 11:35 AM

01:35 1:35 AM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

111,939

💱 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 22, 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 22, 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 Passos 16,420 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Passos

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 Passos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Passos costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,433 in Passos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $443 in Passos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Passos – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Passos at $956. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Passos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $956 in Passos. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Passos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.