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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $749 in Três Lagoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,331 in Três Lagoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,914 in Três Lagoas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Três Lagoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Três Lagoas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Três Lagoas 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$5.35 R$26.59

-63.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$27.40 R$136

-32.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$6.17 R$30.65

21.56%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.73 R$8.62

11.56%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.08 R$5.37

-27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.61 R$3.05

-47.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.77 R$8.81

21.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.62 R$13.04

41.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.31 R$6.52

30.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.91 R$9.49

-18.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.93 R$9.59

-38.86%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.41 R$16.95

-41.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$5.43 R$26.97

195.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$4.87 R$24.22

-34.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$5.88 R$29.23

86.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.52 R$7.53

73.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.25 R$6.19

-6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.32 R$6.56

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$2.05 R$10.17

-24.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.65 R$8.19

-16.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.11 R$5.50

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.75 R$3.73

-12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.51 R$2.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$1.79 R$8.89

152.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$8.00 R$39.76

129.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$0.93 R$4.61

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.00 R$9.96

59.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.88 R$4.39

2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$39.23 R$195

-51.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$1.10 R$5.47

28.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.69 R$3.45

89.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$6.24 R$31.01

29.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.07 R$5.34

19.63%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$20.4K R$101.6K

4.19%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$28.0K R$139.2K

-22.50%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$59.9 R$298

15.49%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$13.43 R$66.7

4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$18.98 R$94.3

-5.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$22.37 R$111

89.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$22.01 R$109

-69.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$6.14 R$30.50

-3.58%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$266 R$1,323

12.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$6,560 R$32.6K

126.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$48.98 R$243

14.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$41.63 R$207

-35.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$74.7 R$371

13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$64.5 R$321

11.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$361 R$1,796

20.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$181 R$898

32.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$798 R$3,965

-0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$587 R$2,916

-15.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,690 R$8,398

18.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,215 R$6,039

26.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$184 R$914

241.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

-54.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Três Lagoas: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $361 in Três 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 242% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $27 in Três Lagoas. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $183 in Três Lagoas – so Três 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 Três Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Três 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,123 in Três Lagoas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $266 in Três Lagoas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $749 in Três Lagoas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Três Lagoas costs $749 versus $845 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 Três 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.