Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Salto, Brazil

For one person, living is cheaper in Salto: $764 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Salto, Brazil
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Salto
🇧🇷 Brazil
$764
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $764 in Salto, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Salto $764

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,189 in Salto, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Salto $1,189

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,615 in Salto, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Salto $1,615

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Salto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Salto are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Salto 43% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Salto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿72.0
$6.35 R$34.82
-66.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿628
$26.03 R$143
-28.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿189
$6.17 R$33.88
-9.24%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿56.1
$1.78 R$9.77
-6.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.82
$0.99 R$5.45
-34.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.29
$0.73 R$3.98
-58.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿78.3
$2.46 R$13.52
-5.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿124
$2.69 R$14.77
36.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Salto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿68.0
$0.94 R$5.17
114.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.49
$1.59 R$8.73
-11.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.94
$1.09 R$6.00
27.52%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.9
$2.56 R$14.02
-7.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿557
$8.11 R$44.53
103.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿90.1
$3.52 R$19.31
-24.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿304
$9.11 R$49.97
-0.99%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.9
$2.63 R$14.46
-8.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿35.12
$1.75 R$9.59
-40.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.64 R$8.99
1.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.6
$1.67 R$9.15
-6.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.75
$1.26 R$6.89
-1.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.65
$1.31 R$7.21
-16.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.70
$0.87 R$4.78
-12.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.34
$0.48 R$2.61
6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿139
$2.43 R$13.32
69.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿605
$8.45 R$46.35
112.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.8
$1.57 R$8.64
3.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿95.2
$4.04 R$22.19
-30.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Salto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.52
$0.80 R$4.37
16.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,784
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.69
$1.06 R$5.79
11.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.78
$1.21 R$6.66
-85.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿61.1
$6.56 R$35.99
-72.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.67
$1.06 R$5.79
38.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿708.7K
$21.7K R$119.1K
-3.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿894.4K
$31.9K R$174.9K
-16.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Salto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,110
$37.16 R$204
68.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿391
$9.46 R$51.9
22.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿685
$17.66 R$96.9
14.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Salto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,278
$24.27 R$133
56.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿125
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿220
$2.79 R$15.29
133.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Salto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.5K
$239 R$1,311
204.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿559.0K
$7,151 R$39.2K
131.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Salto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,806
$51.7 R$284
3.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿836
$54.8 R$301
-54.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,049
$89.7 R$492
0.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,428
$77.5 R$425
-7.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Salto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.2K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.5K
$225 R$1,235
37.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.7K
$551 R$3,027
91.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.2K
$374 R$2,051
76.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿81.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿54.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Salto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿20.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11.12
-49.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Salto: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Salto
$225 27.4% $85
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Salto
$196 17.1% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Salto
$123 13.7% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Salto
$64 32% $30
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Salto
$115 50.5% $39
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Salto
$10 * 82.4% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Salto
$30 41.4% $21

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $26 in Salto. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $196 in Salto – so Salto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇧🇷 Salto
🕒 Local time
07:46 7:46 AM
21:46 9:46 PM
10 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
134,319
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.72 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.14 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Salto 16,490 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Salto

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 Salto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Salto?
Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Salto, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Salto?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,146 in Salto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Salto?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $26 in Salto. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Salto?
Groceries cost about 21% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Chiang Mai or in Salto?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $764 in Salto, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Chiang Mai or Salto?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $764 in Salto to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

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