Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sao Joao da Boa Vista Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sao Joao da Boa Vista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $790 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,267 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,744 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Sao Joao da Boa Vista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sao Joao da Boa Vista are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sao Joao da Boa Vista 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$5.43 R$28.03

-63.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$26.58 R$137

-30.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$5.69 R$29.38

38.31%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.07 R$10.69

-5.80%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.25 R$6.48

-32.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.88 R$4.55

-63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.11 R$10.87

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.69 R$13.87

36.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$0.86 R$4.42

93.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$1.53 R$7.88

1.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.33 R$6.88

-10.53%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.83 R$14.60

-29.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$12.49 R$64.5

30.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$4.23 R$21.83

-25.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$8.66 R$44.67

25.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$1.64 R$8.44

61.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.21 R$6.22

0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$2.15 R$11.09

-23.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.75 R$9.04

-11.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$1.31 R$6.76

1.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.23 R$6.33

-1.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$1.05 R$5.41

-35.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.46 R$2.39

23.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$2.20 R$11.37

112.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$5.99 R$30.93

183.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.37 R$7.07

32.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$2.15 R$11.11

47.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$0.88 R$4.53

3.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$39.18 R$202

-52.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$1.24 R$6.38

13.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$1.07 R$5.51

25.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$6.46 R$33.36

26.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$0.84 R$4.31

52.38%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$20.6K R$106.4K

5.92%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$29.0K R$149.6K

-22.71%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$85.5 R$441

-17.56%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$11.91 R$61.5

17.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$18.05 R$93.2

-2.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$22.62 R$117

82.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$21.23 R$110

-68.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$4.51 R$23.30

32.15%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$288 R$1,488

5.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$7,923 R$40.9K

88.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$46.17 R$238

18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$40.16 R$207

-34.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$39.11 R$202

119.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$40.62 R$210

71.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$313 R$1,618

36.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$218 R$1,124

9.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$585 R$3,017

38.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$435 R$2,247

17.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$1,620 R$8,363

24.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$1,188 R$6,129

26.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$649 R$3,348

-4.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $313 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. 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 4% higher in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $197 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista – so Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Sao Joao da Boa Vista, 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,185 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $288 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $848 in Chiang Mai and $790 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sao Joao da Boa Vista costs $790 versus $848 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista. 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.