Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rio das Ostras

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio das Ostras: $720 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Rio das Ostras
Learn more

Rio das Ostras Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Rio das Ostras

🇧🇷 Brazil

$720

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Rio das Ostras

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 Rio das Ostras actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $720 in Rio das Ostras, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Rio das Ostras $720

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,206 in Rio das Ostras, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Rio das Ostras $1,206

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,693 in Rio das Ostras, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Rio das Ostras $1,693

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Rio das Ostras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Rio das Ostras are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Rio das Ostras 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$6.11 R$30.99

-62.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$29.93 R$152

-34.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$6.91 R$35.02

-18.81%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.77 R$8.99

-6.21%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.33 R$6.73

-47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.62 R$3.13

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.21 R$6.16

99.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$3.03 R$15.37

22.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$0.95 R$4.84

105.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$1.56 R$7.91

-9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.25 R$6.34

4.80%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.95 R$9.88

11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$8.04 R$40.76

107.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$3.49 R$17.68

-20.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$8.56 R$43.40

6.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.95 R$9.87

22.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.21 R$6.14

-14.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.93 R$4.74

75.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.27 R$6.45

18.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.71 R$3.59

81.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.81 R$4.09

37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.57 R$2.91

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.72 R$3.67

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.27 R$11.53

89.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$9.18 R$46.51

95.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$2.11 R$10.69

-25.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$1.44 R$7.28

97.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$1.02 R$5.18

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$43.98 R$223

21.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.37 R$6.95

-11.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.76 R$3.87

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$8.02 R$40.63

-70.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.17 R$5.93

23.08%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$21.1K R$106.8K

-1.63%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$31.3K R$158.8K

-14.46%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$69.9 R$354

-10.80%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$10.00 R$50.7

21.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$18.83 R$95.5

5.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$23.61 R$120

57.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$27.53 R$140

-86.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$6.75 R$34.23

-3.70%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$327 R$1,658

142.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$7,611 R$38.6K

94.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$56.6 R$287

-5.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$28.31 R$144

-13.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$66.8 R$338

36.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$48.51 R$246

46.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$198 R$1,004

129.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$151 R$766

96.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$529 R$2,682

71.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$400 R$2,029

38.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$1,730 R$8,770

11.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,223 R$6,198

18.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$542 R$2,748

9.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Rio das Ostras: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Rio das Ostras

$151 21% 49.2% $147

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Rio das Ostras

$179 24.8% 24.1% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Rio das Ostras

$90 12.5% 16.7% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Rio das Ostras

$99 13.7% 4.6% $4.3

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Rio das Ostras

$111 15.4% 41% $32

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Rio das Ostras

$53 7.4% 12.4% $7.5

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Rio das Ostras

$37 5.2% 25.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $198 in Rio das Ostras. 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 9% 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 $30.00 in Rio das Ostras. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $179 in Rio das Ostras – so Rio das Ostras wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇷 Rio das Ostras

🕒 Local time

18:40 6:40 PM

08:40 8:40 AM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

156,491

💱 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 20, 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 20, 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 Rio das Ostras 15,940 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Rio das Ostras

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 Rio das Ostras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Rio das Ostras, 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 $1,080 in Rio das Ostras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rio das Ostras, 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 $327 in Rio das Ostras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio das Ostras, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Rio das Ostras 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. Rio das Ostras costs $720 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 Rio das Ostras. 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.