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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $724 in Vacoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,107 in Vacoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,490 in Vacoas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Vacoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Vacoas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Vacoas 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$6.58 MUR 309

-70.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$32.98 MUR 1,549

-44.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.98 MUR 234

50.20%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.58 MUR 121

-21.71%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.97 MUR 45.61

-12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.60 MUR 28.01

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.26 MUR 106

-5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.99 MUR 93.5

80.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.34 MUR 62.8

23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.66 MUR 30.79

137.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.26 MUR 59.3

-5.56%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.10 MUR 98.6

-7.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$2.83 MUR 133

472.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.92 MUR 137

2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.44 MUR 255

101.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.99 MUR 93.5

36.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.01 MUR 94.4

-41.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.45 MUR 68.2

16.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.72 MUR 128

-41.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.98 MUR 46.23

40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.01 MUR 47.21

18.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.80 MUR 37.62

-16.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.75 MUR 35.28

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.80 MUR 272

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.48 MUR 304

171.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.46 MUR 68.7

27.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.22 MUR 104

48.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.94 MUR 44.34

-6.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$4.30 MUR 202

-68.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$2.66 MUR 125

-49.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.53 MUR 213

81.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.40 MUR 65.8

-12.86%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.9K MUR 1.3M

-20.61%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

-20.29%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$49.42 MUR 2,321

43.00%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$11.04 MUR 519

27.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$25.44 MUR 1,195

-31.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$26.11 MUR 1,226

61.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.46 MUR 256

8.42%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$157 MUR 7,377

96.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$4,037 MUR 189.6K

268.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$29.83 MUR 1,401

86.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$28.57 MUR 1,342

-8.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$66.6 MUR 3,130

24.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$59.5 MUR 2,793

18.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$262 MUR 12.3K

65.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$235 MUR 11.0K

1.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$520 MUR 24.4K

58.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$326 MUR 15.3K

57.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$697 MUR 32.7K

-16.88%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $262 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 20% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Vacoas. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 19% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,086 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 $18.00 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 56% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $724 in Vacoas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Vacoas costs $724 versus $861 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.