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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $653 per month in Maracay vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,148 per month in Maracay vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,643 per month in Maracay vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maracay is about 25% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maracay and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Maracay 51% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 VES 6,554

$1.94 ฿63.5

506.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 VES 31.2K

$18.64 ฿609

200.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 VES 4,018

$7.82 ฿255

-7.80%

Cappuccino

$1.35 VES 754

$1.95 ฿63.8

-30.77%

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

$1.22 VES 682

$0.85 ฿27.77

43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 VES 539

$0.35 ฿11.58

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 VES 821

$2.13 ฿69.6

-30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 VES 1,084

$3.73 ฿122

-47.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 VES 1,000

$1.71 ฿56.0

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 VES 1,485

$1.63 ฿53.2

63.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 VES 573

$1.14 ฿37.15

-9.65%

Eggs

$2.19 VES 1,222

$1.93 ฿63.1

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 VES 3,717

$16.21 ฿530

-58.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 VES 3,140

$3.12 ฿102

80.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 VES 4,086

$10.90 ฿356

-32.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 VES 2,241

$2.75 ฿90.0

46.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 VES 1,045

$1.21 ฿39.52

54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 VES 1,262

$1.62 ฿53.0

39.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 VES 1,149

$1.59 ฿51.8

29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 VES 1,457

$1.40 ฿45.70

87.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,144

$1.17 ฿38.17

75.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 VES 755

$0.66 ฿21.60

106.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 VES 1,043

$0.53 ฿17.22

252.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 VES 1,361

$4.69 ฿153

-47.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 VES 5,648

$18.66 ฿609

-45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 VES 625

$1.80 ฿58.8

-37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 VES 993

$3.23 ฿106

-44.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 VES 160

$0.90 ฿29.26

-67.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 VES 1,642

$1.41 ฿45.91

109.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 VES 1,528

$1.29 ฿42.12

112.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.90 VES 5,517

$7.84 ฿256

26.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 273

$1.27 ฿41.58

-61.42%

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

$24.6K VES 13.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

15.49%

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

$40.2K VES 22.4M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

80.87%

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

$10.09 VES 5,621

$69.1 ฿2,256

-85.39%

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

$12.84 VES 7,156

$14.08 ฿460

-8.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.35 VES 21.9K

$18.00 ฿588

118.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 VES 29.3K

$41.06 ฿1,341

27.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 VES 1,988

$5.92 ฿193

-39.70%

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

$130 VES 72.4K

$299 ฿9,766

-56.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,571 VES 3.1M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-62.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.75 VES 13.8K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-54.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.04 VES 16.7K

$26.77 ฿874

12.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 VES 44.1K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-6.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 VES 55.6K

$70.6 ฿2,306

41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$455 VES 253.8K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-76.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$199 VES 110.7K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-86.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 VES 99.6K

$617 ฿20.2K

-71.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.33

326.60%

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

Last update for Maracay: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 246% 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 $56.0 in Maracay versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Maracay, 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 $980 per month in Maracay and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Maracay and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $653 in Maracay and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maracay costs $653 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 Maracay. 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.