Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Vacoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Vacoas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $737 in Vacoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,124 in Vacoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,511 in Vacoas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Vacoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Vacoas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Vacoas 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$6.45 MUR 305

-69.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$32.98 MUR 1,560

-43.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$4.94 MUR 234

58.30%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.57 MUR 122

-24.12%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.96 MUR 45.29

-11.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.56 MUR 26.64

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$2.17 MUR 103

-1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.00 MUR 94.9

86.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.28 MUR 60.4

33.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.71 MUR 33.75

129.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.29 MUR 60.9

-11.63%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.18 MUR 103

-11.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$2.67 MUR 126

507.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.01 MUR 142

3.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$5.52 MUR 261

97.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.99 MUR 94.0

38.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$2.03 MUR 96.3

-40.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.44 MUR 68.0

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$2.74 MUR 130

-41.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.03 MUR 48.50

35.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.01 MUR 48.01

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.79 MUR 37.31

-16.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.71 MUR 33.55

-25.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.67 MUR 268

-17.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$6.31 MUR 299

195.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.44 MUR 68.0

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.18 MUR 103

48.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$1.01 MUR 47.96

-10.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$4.47 MUR 212

-68.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$2.63 MUR 124

-50.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.32 MUR 204

81.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.41 MUR 66.9

-9.93%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$26.7K MUR 1.3M

-20.18%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

-23.98%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$49.62 MUR 2,348

39.20%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.89 MUR 515

29.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$25.99 MUR 1,230

-30.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$26.80 MUR 1,268

53.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.49 MUR 260

7.83%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$155 MUR 7,353

92.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$3,977 MUR 188.2K

275.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$29.28 MUR 1,386

86.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$29.55 MUR 1,399

-9.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$65.7 MUR 3,108

29.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$59.8 MUR 2,830

18.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$266 MUR 12.6K

60.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$238 MUR 11.2K

-0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$506 MUR 23.9K

58.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$320 MUR 15.2K

60.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$700 MUR 33.1K

-11.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

17.65%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $266 in Vacoas. 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 13% higher in Vacoas, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Vacoas. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $156 in Vacoas – so Vacoas 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 Vacoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Vacoas, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,106 in Vacoas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $33.00 in Vacoas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $737 in Vacoas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Vacoas costs $737 versus $866 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 Vacoas. 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.