Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sete Lagoas

For one person, living is cheaper in Sete Lagoas: $633 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Sete Lagoas
Learn more

Sete Lagoas Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Sete Lagoas

🇧🇷 Brazil

$633

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Sete Lagoas

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $633 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Sete Lagoas $633

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,008 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Sete Lagoas $1,008

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,383 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Sete Lagoas $1,383

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Sete Lagoas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Sete Lagoas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Sete Lagoas 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$5.70 R$31.26

-62.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$21.51 R$118

-13.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$5.08 R$27.90

10.24%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$0.58 R$3.18

186.21%

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

$0.65 ฿21.82

$0.96 R$5.28

-32.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.54 R$2.99

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

$1.11 R$6.08

109.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$1.82 R$9.97

101.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$0.84 R$4.59

140.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.67 R$3.68

110.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.94

$1.27 R$6.96

9.45%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.63 R$8.94

45.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$5.51 R$30.24

199.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$2.74 R$15.05

-2.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$7.23 R$39.66

24.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$0.96 R$5.29

150.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

$1.07 R$5.89

-2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$0.55 R$3.01

201.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$0.98 R$5.35

59.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

$0.61 R$3.32

103.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

$0.54 R$2.95

101.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.51 R$2.81

49.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

$0.54 R$2.94

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$1.52 R$8.36

171.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$5.73 R$31.47

212.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$0.54 R$2.99

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$0.95 R$5.22

196.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

$0.91 R$5.01

2.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

$42.45 R$233

24.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$0.39 R$2.13

202.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$0.29 R$1.60

-41.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$7.55 R$41.44

-76.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

$0.92 R$5.03

59.78%

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

$12.8K R$70.2K

64.36%

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

$22.2K R$121.7K

19.56%

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

$46.49 R$255

34.57%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$9.39 R$51.5

23.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$17.40 R$95.5

16.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$23.72 R$130

59.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$26.31 R$144

-85.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$3.78 R$20.73

72.22%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$110 R$601

563.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

$2,433 R$13.4K

581.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

$9.50 R$52.1

463.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$9.51 R$52.2

160.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

$37.86 R$208

138.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$36.81 R$202

95.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$334 R$1,831

44.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$231 R$1,266

34.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$641 R$3,518

65.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$457 R$2,510

44.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

$1,598 R$8,768

51.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$1,159 R$6,361

38.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$414 R$2,271

43.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.67

-47.80%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Sete Lagoas: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Sete Lagoas

$231 36.5% 25.6% $79

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Sete Lagoas

$124 19.7% 47.4% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Sete Lagoas

$42 6.7% 61.1% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Sete Lagoas

$73 11.6% 22.4% $21

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Sete Lagoas

$83 13.1% 8.3% $6.4

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Sete Lagoas

$48 7.6% 18.3% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Sete Lagoas

$31 4.9% 38.6% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $334 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 44% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $22 in Sete Lagoas. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $124 in Sete Lagoas – so Sete Lagoas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇷 Sete Lagoas

🕒 Local time

17:43 5:43 PM

07:43 7:43 AM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

227,397

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 BRL = 0.182 USD

1 BRL = 0.163 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 November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.15 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Sete Lagoas 16,160 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Sete Lagoas

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 Sete Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Sete Lagoas, 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $949 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $334 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $110 in Sete Lagoas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 90% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Sete Lagoas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sete Lagoas. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.