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 $642 per month in Maracay vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,125 per month in Maracay vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,608 per month in Maracay vs $1,838 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 52% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 VES 8,796

$1.96 ฿65.9

510.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 VES 40.2K

$18.35 ฿617

198.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 VES 5,401

$7.48 ฿252

-1.74%

Cappuccino

$1.34 VES 985

$2.02 ฿67.8

-33.66%

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

$1.23 VES 904

$0.85 ฿28.52

44.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 751

$0.36 ฿11.97

183.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 VES 1,134

$2.14 ฿71.9

-28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 VES 1,487

$3.59 ฿121

-43.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 VES 1,335

$1.65 ฿55.5

10.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 VES 1,991

$1.57 ฿52.7

72.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 VES 790

$1.19 ฿40.05

-10.08%

Eggs

$2.23 VES 1,641

$1.94 ฿65.1

14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 VES 5,004

$16.19 ฿545

-57.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 VES 4,014

$2.99 ฿101

82.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 VES 5,416

$10.94 ฿368

-32.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 VES 2,876

$2.71 ฿91.2

44.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 VES 1,369

$1.17 ฿39.27

58.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 VES 1,596

$1.69 ฿56.8

28.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,509

$1.60 ฿54.0

28.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 VES 1,943

$1.38 ฿46.56

91.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 VES 1,573

$1.20 ฿40.47

78.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 VES 951

$0.67 ฿22.51

92.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 VES 1,400

$0.56 ฿18.74

239.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 VES 1,864

$4.64 ฿156

-45.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 VES 7,217

$17.62 ฿593

-44.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 VES 861

$1.86 ฿62.6

-37.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 VES 1,270

$3.30 ฿111

-47.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 VES 230

$0.88 ฿29.70

-64.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 VES 2,158

$1.36 ฿45.92

116.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 VES 2,038

$1.34 ฿45.00

106.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.14 VES 7,452

$8.21 ฿276

23.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 VES 375

$1.22 ฿41.20

-58.20%

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

$24.9K VES 18.3M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

16.75%

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

$39.6K VES 29.1M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

75.60%

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

$10.06 VES 7,398

$70.7 ฿2,378

-85.76%

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

$13.14 VES 9,658

$14.04 ฿472

-6.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 VES 29.0K

$17.49 ฿589

125.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 VES 39.0K

$42.15 ฿1,418

25.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 VES 2,606

$5.92 ฿199

-40.03%

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

$130 VES 95.9K

$309 ฿10.4K

-57.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,448 VES 4.0M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-63.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.53 VES 18.0K

$55.8 ฿1,876

-56.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.53 VES 21.7K

$26.11 ฿879

13.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 VES 58.4K

$83.0 ฿2,793

-4.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 VES 74.9K

$70.5 ฿2,371

44.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$444 VES 326.0K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-76.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$203 VES 149.0K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-86.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 VES 131.5K

$579 ฿19.5K

-69.12%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 224% 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 $55.0 in Maracay versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $243 – 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 34% 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 $963 per month in Maracay and $1,292 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 $55.0 in Maracay and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $642 in Maracay and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maracay costs $642 versus $861 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.