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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $968 per month in Itajai vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,187 per month in Itajai vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,406 per month in Itajai vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Itajai costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Itajai and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Itajai 30% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 R$27.49

$2.08 ฿69.2

159.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.62 R$187

$19.64 ฿651

86.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 R$44.59

$5.65 ฿188

54.87%

Cappuccino

$2.54 R$12.91

$1.81 ฿59.9

40.33%

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

$1.13 R$5.75

$0.71 ฿23.66

59.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.34

$0.32 ฿10.48

165.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 R$13.89

$2.24 ฿74.2

21.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 R$14.53

$3.63 ฿121

-21.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 R$4.68

$1.96 ฿65.0

-53.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 R$7.93

$1.50 ฿49.83

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.82

$1.34 ฿44.32

-14.93%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.28

$2.26 ฿75.1

-10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.12 R$46.43

$16.26 ฿539

-43.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 R$22.19

$2.95 ฿98.0

47.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R$37.17

$9.94 ฿330

-26.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.79

$2.57 ฿85.3

-32.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.78

$1.06 ฿35.04

-11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 R$4.01

$1.61 ฿53.5

-50.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.02

$1.52 ฿50.4

-9.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 R$4.39

$1.27 ฿42.14

-32.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 R$3.04

$1.07 ฿35.37

-43.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.85

$0.72 ฿23.89

5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.74

$0.51 ฿16.87

43.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R$14.38

$4.19 ฿139

-32.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 R$38.92

$17.87 ฿593

-57.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.43

$1.69 ฿56.2

-48.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 R$9.40

$2.84 ฿94.1

-35.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 R$4.29

$0.93 ฿30.70

-9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 R$6.43

$1.23 ฿40.95

2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 R$3.80

$0.58 ฿19.13

29.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 R$29.32

$2.42 ฿80.4

138.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.47

$1.41 ฿46.84

-9.93%

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

$23.1K R$117.8K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

7.82%

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

$32.2K R$164.0K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

17.83%

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

$97.0 R$494

$63.7 ฿2,112

52.32%

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

$14.75 R$75.1

$12.85 ฿426

14.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.31 R$114

$20.22 ฿671

10.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.26 R$154

$38.74 ฿1,285

-21.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 R$38.73

$6.74 ฿223

12.76%

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

$270 R$1,374

$778 ฿25.8K

-65.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,932 R$25.1K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-66.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 R$368

$54.3 ฿1,801

32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.7 R$360

$25.45 ฿844

177.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 R$469

$94.3 ฿3,129

-2.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 R$380

$73.4 ฿2,436

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 R$2,505

$490 ฿16.2K

0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 R$1,734

$289 ฿9,596

17.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 R$6,870

$894 ฿29.6K

50.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 R$11.4K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

14.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 R$3,061

$602 ฿20.0K

-0.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.63

5.57

90.84%

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

Last update for Itajai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $492 in Itajai versus $490 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 0% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $37.00 in Itajai versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $172 in Itajai vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Itajai 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

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

Itajai costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,452 per month in Itajai and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $37.00 in Itajai and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Itajai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Itajai at $968. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Itajai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $968 in Itajai. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Itajai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.