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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $758 in Vacoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,100 in Vacoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,443 in Vacoas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Vacoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Vacoas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Vacoas 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$5.91 MUR 279

-64.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$32.39 MUR 1,527

-39.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.45 MUR 304

-12.09%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.68 MUR 126

-32.46%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.17 MUR 55.4

-34.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.62 MUR 29.09

-43.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.68 MUR 126

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.92 MUR 185

-3.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.46 MUR 69.0

40.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.69 MUR 32.44

118.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.12 MUR 52.7

25.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.23 MUR 105

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$2.71 MUR 128

497.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.50 MUR 118

16.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$11.15 MUR 526

-15.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.51 MUR 119

6.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.28 MUR 107

-52.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.44 MUR 68.1

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.98 MUR 141

-51.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.03 MUR 48.42

24.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.02 MUR 48.00

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.74 MUR 34.65

-2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.72 MUR 33.99

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.22 MUR 293

-31.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.31 MUR 297

189.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.44 MUR 68.0

13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.39 MUR 112

21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.29 MUR 60.8

-31.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$4.18 MUR 197

-72.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$3.24 MUR 152

-82.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$4.31 MUR 203

-44.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.32 MUR 62.3

9.85%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$29.7K MUR 1.4M

-29.21%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$31.5K MUR 1.5M

-16.18%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$44.29 MUR 2,087

43.71%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$10.41 MUR 491

23.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$24.75 MUR 1,166

-17.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$25.18 MUR 1,187

54.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.46 MUR 257

20.51%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$128 MUR 6,033

512.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,694 MUR 362.6K

90.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$32.18 MUR 1,517

71.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$38.77 MUR 1,827

-36.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$63.7 MUR 3,002

47.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$46.98 MUR 2,214

57.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$263 MUR 12.4K

86.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$219 MUR 10.3K

31.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$472 MUR 22.2K

89.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$232 MUR 10.9K

124.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$700 MUR 33.0K

-14.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $263 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 16% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Vacoas. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $177 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 23% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,137 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $32.00 in Vacoas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vacoas, where all-in costs run around $758, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Vacoas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Vacoas costs $758 versus $932 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.