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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $816 per month in Cuiaba vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,252 per month in Cuiaba vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,689 per month in Cuiaba vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cuiaba is about 6% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cuiaba and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cuiaba 39% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 R$17.73

$1.94 ฿63.5

82.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.96 R$89.9

$18.64 ฿609

-3.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 R$30.44

$7.82 ฿255

-22.25%

Cappuccino

$1.62 R$8.09

$1.95 ฿63.8

-16.92%

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

$0.96 R$4.82

$0.85 ฿27.77

12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.07

$0.35 ฿11.58

74.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 R$6.23

$2.13 ฿69.6

-41.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 R$10.94

$3.73 ฿122

-41.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.32

$1.71 ฿56.0

-38.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.57

$1.63 ฿53.2

-7.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.34

$1.14 ฿37.15

46.49%

Eggs

$3.20 R$16.02

$1.93 ฿63.1

65.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 R$56.3

$16.21 ฿530

-30.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 R$22.25

$3.12 ฿102

42.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 R$50.7

$10.90 ฿356

-7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 R$10.79

$2.75 ฿90.0

-21.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R$8.49

$1.21 ฿39.52

40.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 R$8.89

$1.62 ฿53.0

9.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 R$11.31

$1.59 ฿51.8

42.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 R$10.47

$1.40 ฿45.70

49.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 R$7.97

$1.17 ฿38.17

35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.66 ฿21.60

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.37

$0.53 ฿17.22

139.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 R$10.39

$4.69 ฿153

-55.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 R$50.9

$18.66 ฿609

-45.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 R$8.82

$1.80 ฿58.8

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 R$11.20

$3.23 ฿106

-30.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.41

$0.90 ฿29.26

-2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.75 R$194

$19.21 ฿628

101.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.27

$1.41 ฿45.91

-25.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.73

$1.29 ฿42.12

-42.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 R$31.15

$7.84 ฿256

-20.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.00

$1.27 ฿41.58

-21.26%

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

$21.0K R$105.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-1.13%

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

$27.7K R$138.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

24.78%

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

$61.3 R$307

$69.1 ฿2,256

-11.26%

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

$18.30 R$91.6

$14.08 ฿460

29.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.56 R$118

$18.00 ฿588

30.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.56 R$113

$41.06 ฿1,341

-45.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 R$99.7

$6.96 ฿227

186.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 R$21.85

$5.92 ฿193

-26.18%

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

$248 R$1,242

$299 ฿9,766

-16.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,108 R$25.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-65.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 R$253

$54.7 ฿1,787

-7.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 R$230

$26.77 ฿874

71.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 R$688

$85.0 ฿2,776

61.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 R$314

$70.6 ฿2,306

-11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 R$1,429

$428 ฿14.0K

-33.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 R$962

$237 ฿7,752

-18.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,823

$801 ฿26.2K

-29.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 R$1,581

$515 ฿16.8K

-38.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,279 R$6,398

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-35.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 R$4,003

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-45.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 R$2,131

$617 ฿20.2K

-31.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

270.00%

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

Last update for Cuiaba: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Cuiaba versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 45% 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 $18.00 in Cuiaba versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $246 – making Cuiaba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cuiaba vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Cuiaba, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,224 per month in Cuiaba and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $248 per month in Cuiaba and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $816 in Cuiaba and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cuiaba costs $816 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 Cuiaba. 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.