Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Imperatriz and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Imperatriz: $854 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $970 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Imperatriz, Brazil
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Imperatriz
🇧🇷 Brazil
$854
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Imperatriz and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Imperatriz and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $854 per month in Imperatriz vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Imperatriz $854
  • Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $1,356 per month in Imperatriz vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Imperatriz $1,356
  • Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $1,859 per month in Imperatriz vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Imperatriz $1,859
  • Chiang Mai $1,999

Imperatriz is about 9% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Imperatriz and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Imperatriz 37% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Imperatriz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.59 R$30.51
$2.13 ฿71.7
162.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.30 R$176
$18.62 ฿625
73.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.75 R$42.33
$5.60 ฿188
38.39%
Cappuccino
$1.85 R$10.08
$1.66 ฿55.9
11.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 R$7.38
$0.65 ฿21.73
107.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 R$2.45
$0.30 ฿10.24
50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.01 R$11.00
$2.32 ฿78.0
-13.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 R$16.54
$3.67 ฿123
-17.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Imperatriz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 R$6.24
$2.02 ฿67.7
-43.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 R$7.88
$1.41 ฿47.29
2.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.27 R$6.92
$1.39 ฿46.75
-8.63%
Eggs
$2.32 R$12.64
$2.37 ฿79.5
-2.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.41 R$40.43
$16.52 ฿555
-55.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.52 R$19.23
$2.67 ฿89.7
31.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.81 R$48.09
$9.02 ฿303
-2.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 R$12.54
$2.40 ฿80.6
-4.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 R$6.63
$1.04 ฿34.98
16.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.93 R$5.06
$1.66 ฿55.7
-43.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.42 R$7.75
$1.56 ฿52.4
-8.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 R$6.09
$1.24 ฿41.57
-10.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.14 R$6.25
$1.09 ฿36.50
4.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 R$4.16
$0.76 ฿25.59
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 R$3.95
$0.51 ฿17.27
41.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.96 R$10.72
$4.12 ฿138
-52.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.48 R$35.38
$17.93 ฿602
-63.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 R$5.87
$1.62 ฿54.5
-33.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 R$10.39
$2.82 ฿94.8
-32.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Imperatriz
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 R$4.52
$0.93 ฿31.39
-10.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.87 R$240
$52.9 ฿1,777
-17.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.23 R$6.71
$1.18 ฿39.52
4.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.74 R$4.05
$0.17 ฿5.76
335.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.59 R$41.45
$1.81 ฿60.9
319.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 R$6.22
$1.47 ฿49.47
-22.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K R$124.6K
$21.0K ฿705.8K
8.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K R$164.9K
$26.5K ฿890.7K
13.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Imperatriz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.1 R$355
$62.6 ฿2,101
4.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.79 R$69.8
$11.60 ฿390
10.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.61 R$107
$20.30 ฿682
-3.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Imperatriz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.65 R$129
$37.88 ฿1,272
-37.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.82 R$136
$3.70 ฿124
570.81%
Cinema Ticket
$6.04 R$33.00
$6.51 ฿219
-7.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Imperatriz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$266 R$1,452
$727 ฿24.4K
-63.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,987 R$32.7K
$16.6K ฿556.7K
-63.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Imperatriz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.69 R$249
$53.5 ฿1,798
-14.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.81 R$256
$24.80 ฿833
88.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.5 R$483
$90.4 ฿3,036
-2.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.6 R$374
$72.0 ฿2,418
-4.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Imperatriz
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$288 R$1,575
$481 ฿16.2K
-40.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$268 R$1,460
$310 ฿10.4K
-13.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$612 R$3,340
$1,058 ฿35.5K
-42.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$505 R$2,756
$659 ฿22.1K
-23.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,613 R$8,809
$2,418 ฿81.2K
-33.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,168 R$6,379
$1,609 ฿54.0K
-27.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Imperatriz
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$595 ฿20.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
5.57
97.49%

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

Last update for Imperatriz: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Imperatriz
$268
Chiang Mai
$310 15.9% $42
Groceries & Markets
Imperatriz
$176
Chiang Mai
$237 34.8% $61
Eating Out
Imperatriz
$113
Chiang Mai
$77 32.5% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Imperatriz
$112
Chiang Mai
$108 3.5% $4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Imperatriz
$97
Chiang Mai
$94 3.1% $3
Getting Around
Imperatriz
$52
Chiang Mai
$59 12.5% $6.5
Sport & Entertainment
Imperatriz
$36
Chiang Mai
$51 42.4% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in Imperatriz versus $481 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Imperatriz versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $176 in Imperatriz vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Imperatriz wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Imperatriz
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
07:01 7:01 AM
17:01 5:01 PM
10 h ahead of Imperatriz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
273,110
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 5.46 BRL (1 BRL = 0.183 USD). 1 EUR = 6.14 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.75 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Imperatriz Chiang Mai 16,090 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Imperatriz
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Imperatriz vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Imperatriz or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Imperatriz, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Imperatriz and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,281 per month in Imperatriz and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Imperatriz or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Imperatriz, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $288 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Imperatriz and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $266 per month in Imperatriz and $727 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Imperatriz or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Imperatriz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Imperatriz vs other spots: cost of living compared

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