Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sete Lagoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sete Lagoas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $634 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $988 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,343 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Sete Lagoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sete Lagoas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sete Lagoas 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.39 R$31.89

-69.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$21.07 R$105

-10.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$5.00 R$24.97

58.40%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$0.56 R$2.82

241.07%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.94 R$4.69

-10.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.55 R$2.76

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.33 R$6.65

66.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.68 R$8.40

126.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.80 R$4.00

105.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.61 R$3.05

165.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.59 R$7.95

-25.79%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.61 R$8.03

24.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$5.32 R$26.55

198.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$2.77 R$13.83

8.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.42 R$37.02

45.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.87 R$4.36

200.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.11 R$5.52

9.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.52 R$2.57

226.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.88 R$4.40

79.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.03 R$5.13

28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.52 R$2.59

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.50 R$2.51

34.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.51 R$2.56

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.10 R$10.50

115.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.20 R$40.91

121.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.52 R$2.60

251.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$0.88 R$4.38

267.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.92 R$4.61

-3.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$38.41 R$192

-49.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.37 R$1.85

264.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.25 R$1.24

440.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$8.19 R$40.88

0.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.93 R$4.64

36.56%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$12.5K R$62.5K

68.82%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$21.5K R$107.2K

4.68%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$45.19 R$225

55.23%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$14.53 R$72.5

-5.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$17.71 R$88.4

-0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$22.71 R$113

83.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$21.33 R$106

-69.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.71 R$18.50

55.80%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$109 R$542

181.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,652 R$33.2K

122.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$9.14 R$45.63

494.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$8.98 R$44.79

191.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$36.35 R$181

132.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$35.76 R$178

94.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$311 R$1,551

36.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$214 R$1,069

11.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$577 R$2,879

42.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$429 R$2,140

20.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,652 R$8,243

24.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,173 R$5,856

29.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$444 R$2,217

42.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.83

-53.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sete Lagoas: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $311 in Sete Lagoas. 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 43% 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 $21.00 in Sete Lagoas. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $130 in Sete Lagoas – so Sete Lagoas 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 Sete Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Sete Lagoas, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $951 in Sete Lagoas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $109 in Sete Lagoas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $634 in Sete Lagoas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sete Lagoas costs $634 versus $852 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 Sete Lagoas. 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.