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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $829 in Passos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,348 in Passos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,868 in Passos, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Passos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Passos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Passos 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$7.40 R$38.11

-73.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$32.82 R$169

-43.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$6.96 R$35.85

12.36%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$1.81 R$9.33

7.73%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$1.22 R$6.30

-30.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$0.82 R$4.22

-57.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.78 R$9.15

19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.85 R$14.68

30.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$1.01 R$5.18

69.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$1.75 R$9.00

-6.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$1.19 R$6.13

-4.20%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$2.33 R$11.98

-17.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$9.92 R$51.1

63.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.16 R$21.45

-25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$8.43 R$43.44

29.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$2.17 R$11.18

26.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$1.66 R$8.56

-27.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.39 R$7.15

16.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$1.65 R$8.50

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$1.41 R$7.26

-0.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$1.39 R$7.18

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$0.93 R$4.81

-29.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$0.67 R$3.45

-20.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$1.84 R$9.47

154.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$8.28 R$42.63

125.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.37 R$7.05

31.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.09 R$10.76

54.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$0.87 R$4.49

3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$37.80 R$195

-49.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$1.16 R$5.97

21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$0.58 R$2.97

122.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$7.71 R$39.70

1.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.08 R$5.54

17.59%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$22.8K R$117.6K

-6.82%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$27.9K R$144.0K

-20.53%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$51.9 R$268

33.01%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$16.03 R$82.6

-12.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$21.93 R$113

-17.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$22.28 R$115

84.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$21.95 R$113

-68.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$7.23 R$37.26

-18.12%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$333 R$1,716

-10.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$8,958 R$46.1K

66.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$55.3 R$285

-1.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$57.4 R$296

-53.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$75.0 R$386

13.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$77.0 R$396

-8.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$315 R$1,624

35.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$220 R$1,135

7.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$578 R$2,978

38.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$428 R$2,206

20.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$1,599 R$8,235

23.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$1,071 R$5,518

37.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

$409 R$2,107

50.97%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Passos: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $315 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 51% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Passos. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $198 in Passos – so Passos 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 Passos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Passos, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,243 in Passos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Passos, 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 $333 in Passos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $829 in Passos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Passos costs $829 versus $866 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 Passos. 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.