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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $886 per month in Manaus vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

A family of three spends $1,913 per month in Manaus vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Manaus is about 5% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manaus and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Manaus 35% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 R$29.39

$2.08 ฿69.5

174.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.35 R$141

$19.61 ฿655

39.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 R$34.46

$5.67 ฿189

17.99%

Cappuccino

$2.28 R$11.73

$1.81 ฿60.3

25.97%

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

$1.05 R$5.43

$0.77 ฿25.65

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R$4.04

$0.35 ฿11.53

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 R$13.78

$2.21 ฿73.9

21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 R$27.21

$3.79 ฿127

39.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 R$7.12

$2.05 ฿68.4

-32.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 R$7.98

$1.51 ฿50.6

2.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.49

$1.40 ฿46.69

-10.00%

Eggs

$2.59 R$13.32

$2.26 ฿75.4

14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 R$50.0

$16.19 ฿540

-40.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 R$19.65

$2.90 ฿96.7

31.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 R$36.23

$9.42 ฿314

-25.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 R$12.00

$2.68 ฿89.4

-13.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.40

$1.09 ฿36.37

49.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.31

$1.62 ฿54.0

-12.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 R$10.14

$1.46 ฿48.74

34.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

$1.28 ฿42.65

-5.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.18

$1.06 ฿35.31

13.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.80

$0.72 ฿23.94

2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.25

$0.53 ฿17.56

18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 R$18.61

$4.23 ฿141

-14.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 R$45.22

$18.29 ฿611

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R$7.27

$1.63 ฿54.4

-13.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 R$8.40

$2.90 ฿96.8

-43.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.50

$0.88 ฿29.32

-1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.18 R$197

$53.8 ฿1,795

-28.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.88

$1.17 ฿39.14

-18.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.34

$0.58 ฿19.30

44.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.58 R$49.37

$2.39 ฿79.6

300.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R$6.81

$1.45 ฿48.41

-8.97%

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

$23.2K R$119.5K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

10.36%

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

$32.0K R$164.8K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

21.04%

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

$115 R$591

$63.7 ฿2,125

80.31%

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

$15.37 R$79.2

$12.89 ฿430

19.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.52 R$126

$20.52 ฿685

19.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.29 R$130

$39.02 ฿1,302

-35.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.22 R$125

$3.92 ฿131

517.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 R$31.97

$6.58 ฿220

-5.78%

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

$219 R$1,127

$784 ฿26.2K

-72.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,047 R$26.0K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-65.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.48 R$255

$55.1 ฿1,840

-10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.09 R$160

$24.74 ฿826

25.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.4 R$301

$94.1 ฿3,142

-37.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 R$356

$74.0 ฿2,469

-6.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 R$3,196

$490 ฿16.4K

26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 R$1,081

$288 ฿9,620

-27.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$924 R$4,762

$891 ฿29.8K

3.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 R$2,459

$521 ฿17.4K

-8.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,700 R$8,756

$1,974 ฿65.9K

-13.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,293 R$6,662

$1,444 ฿48.2K

-10.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 R$2,663

$602 ฿20.1K

-14.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.33

5.57

85.46%

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

Last update for Manaus: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $620 in Manaus 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 16% 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 $27.00 in Manaus versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Manaus vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Manaus 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Manaus, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,329 per month in Manaus and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $219 per month in Manaus and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manaus, where all-in costs run around $886, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Manaus 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. Manaus costs $886 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 Manaus. 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.