Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ribeirao Preto

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Ribeirao Preto: $906 and $880 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Ribeirao Preto
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Ribeirao Preto Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

Ribeirao Preto

🇧🇷 Brazil

$880

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Ribeirao Preto

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

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $880 in Ribeirao Preto, rent included.

Chiang Mai $906
Ribeirao Preto $880

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,416 in Ribeirao Preto, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,385
Ribeirao Preto $1,416

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,951 in Ribeirao Preto, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,864
Ribeirao Preto $1,951

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Ribeirao Preto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Ribeirao Preto are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ribeirao Preto 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$7.85 R$39.20

-72.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿649

$50.9 R$254

-61.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿183

$7.33 R$36.59

-25.38%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.4

$1.74 R$8.67

-3.45%

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

$0.66 ฿22.10

$0.98 R$4.89

-32.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.52

$0.77 R$3.83

-55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.0

$1.17 R$5.83

106.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$2.02 R$10.10

84.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿68.9

$0.98 R$4.87

110.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.78

$1.70 R$8.48

-14.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.09

$0.98 R$4.91

37.76%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.0

$2.29 R$11.43

-0.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿546

$10.27 R$51.3

58.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.3

$4.17 R$20.81

-35.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿308

$8.85 R$44.16

3.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.1

$2.86 R$14.26

-16.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.66

$1.31 R$6.55

-20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.7

$1.45 R$7.23

10.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.37

$1.88 R$9.36

-23.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.59

$1.26 R$6.30

3.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.29

$0.99 R$4.93

12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.55

$1.12 R$5.58

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.99

$0.89 R$4.46

-42.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿138

$2.62 R$13.06

57.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$9.16 R$45.73

94.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.7

$1.23 R$6.14

32.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.0

$1.78 R$8.89

61.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.76

$1.05 R$5.23

-18.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,780

$53.7 R$268

-1.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.81

$1.18 R$5.91

3.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.81

$1.43 R$7.16

-60.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.5

$8.13 R$40.59

-71.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.2

$1.30 R$6.48

15.38%

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

$20.9K ฿698.3K

$23.3K R$116.5K

-10.63%

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

$26.7K ฿895.0K

$32.2K R$160.5K

-16.86%

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

$61.3 ฿2,051

$85.9 R$429

-28.71%

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

$12.50 ฿419

$12.02 R$60.0

3.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿682

$18.14 R$90.5

12.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,270

$21.33 R$106

77.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$24.56 R$123

-84.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿221

$7.85 R$39.20

-15.92%

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

$774 ฿25.9K

$242 R$1,206

220.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿483.2K

$5,936 R$29.6K

143.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,835

$53.6 R$268

2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿846

$42.30 R$211

-40.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,032

$82.5 R$412

9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$56.1 R$280

30.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$267 R$1,334

71.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,835

$217 R$1,085

35.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.8K

$512 R$2,555

79.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$403 R$2,013

36.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.2K

$1,302 R$6,502

47.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.4K

$991 R$4,946

45.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.8K

$595 R$2,968

-0.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.62

-59.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ribeirao Preto: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8%

Ribeirao Preto

$217 25% 26% $76

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6%

Ribeirao Preto

$204 23.5% 13.4% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9%

Ribeirao Preto

$106 12.1% 3.9% $4.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Ribeirao Preto

$116 13.4% 23.3% $22

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4%

Ribeirao Preto

$123 14.1% 58.6% $45

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ribeirao Preto

$66 7.6% 9.3% $5.6

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Ribeirao Preto

$37 4.3% 27.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $267 in Ribeirao Preto. 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 0% higher in Ribeirao Preto, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Ribeirao Preto. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Chiang Mai vs $204 in Ribeirao Preto – so Ribeirao Preto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇷 Ribeirao Preto

🕒 Local time

12:58 12:58 PM

02:58 2:58 AM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

698,642

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.6 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Ribeirao Preto 16,540 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ribeirao Preto

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 Ribeirao Preto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Ribeirao Preto, 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 $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,321 in Ribeirao Preto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Chiang Mai and $242 in Ribeirao Preto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ribeirao Preto, where all-in costs run around $880, than in Chiang Mai at $906. In Ribeirao Preto 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. Ribeirao Preto costs $880 versus $906 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 Ribeirao Preto. 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.