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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $616 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $996 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,377 in Sete Lagoas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Sete Lagoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sete Lagoas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sete Lagoas 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.41 R$32.43

-69.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$21.06 R$107

-10.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.82 R$24.40

60.79%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.56 R$2.81

242.86%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.92 R$4.67

-14.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.57 R$2.86

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.38 R$7.00

60.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.72 R$8.73

112.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.87 R$4.38

89.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.64 R$3.26

154.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.56 R$7.89

-23.72%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.61 R$8.16

24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$5.44 R$27.55

193.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$2.69 R$13.60

12.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.34 R$37.15

47.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.94 R$4.76

193.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.10 R$5.59

7.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.51 R$2.60

221.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.92 R$4.67

65.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.06 R$5.36

30.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.55 R$2.78

116.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.50 R$2.52

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.48 R$2.42

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.14 R$10.85

114.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.72 R$28.98

189.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.52 R$2.65

251.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$0.94 R$4.78

240.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.91 R$4.61

-3.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$39.11 R$198

-52.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.37 R$1.89

267.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.27 R$1.38

396.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.26 R$41.80

-5.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.96 R$4.88

28.13%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$12.4K R$62.8K

74.43%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$21.9K R$111.1K

2.78%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$45.41 R$230

55.34%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$14.59 R$73.9

-6.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$17.89 R$90.6

-2.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$22.19 R$112

86.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$21.58 R$109

-67.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.63 R$18.38

58.95%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$107 R$543

186.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,839 R$34.6K

113.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$9.27 R$46.93

501.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$9.19 R$46.53

185.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$36.18 R$183

137.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$35.37 R$179

104.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$310 R$1,569

38.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$214 R$1,081

11.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$574 R$2,903

42.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$429 R$2,170

19.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,564 R$7,920

26.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,180 R$5,972

25.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$424 R$2,147

45.94%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sete Lagoas: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $310 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 46% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $126 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 41% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $924 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $107 in Sete Lagoas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 92% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $616 in Sete Lagoas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sete Lagoas costs $616 versus $869 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.