Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio do Sul and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio do Sul and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $798 per month in Rio do Sul vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,233 per month in Rio do Sul vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,667 per month in Rio do Sul vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rio do Sul is about 13% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rio do Sul and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Rio do Sul 42% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 R$24.40

$2.11 ฿69.1

122.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.96 R$109

$19.75 ฿648

6.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 R$39.86

$5.85 ฿192

31.28%

Cappuccino

$2.04 R$10.58

$1.76 ฿57.8

15.91%

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

$1.16 R$6.05

$0.74 ฿24.37

56.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.48

$0.33 ฿10.90

160.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 R$14.35

$2.47 ฿81.0

11.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 R$22.46

$3.88 ฿127

11.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R$5.09

$1.90 ฿62.4

-48.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 R$9.06

$1.67 ฿54.7

4.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.26

$1.35 ฿44.24

-10.37%

Eggs

$1.51 R$7.82

$2.14 ฿70.2

-29.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 R$39.77

$15.89 ฿521

-51.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 R$19.53

$2.83 ฿92.9

32.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R$34.48

$10.53 ฿345

-36.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.19

$2.38 ฿78.2

-33.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 R$5.10

$1.07 ฿35.01

-8.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 R$3.93

$1.52 ฿49.79

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.98

$1.50 ฿49.30

-23.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 R$4.01

$1.28 ฿41.96

-39.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 R$3.48

$1.10 ฿36.17

-39.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 R$3.72

$0.69 ฿22.54

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 R$3.90

$0.49 ฿16.18

53.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 R$14.54

$4.27 ฿140

-34.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.93 R$20.38

$16.78 ฿550

-76.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$7.11

$1.66 ฿54.4

-17.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 R$13.97

$2.81 ฿92.3

-4.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.20

$0.90 ฿29.44

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 R$218

$54.9 ฿1,801

-23.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 R$6.30

$1.20 ฿39.24

0.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 R$3.80

$0.54 ฿17.78

35.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 R$29.92

$2.37 ฿77.9

143.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.82

$1.43 ฿46.88

-21.68%

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

$23.2K R$120.5K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

10.11%

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

$31.3K R$162.6K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

15.39%

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

$61.6 R$320

$64.7 ฿2,124

-4.87%

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

$9.63 R$50.0

$13.19 ฿433

-26.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.77 R$103

$19.44 ฿638

1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 R$131

$39.45 ฿1,294

-36.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.26 R$142

$3.77 ฿124

623.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 R$25.42

$6.62 ฿217

-26.13%

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

$299 R$1,552

$805 ฿26.4K

-62.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K R$56.0K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-28.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.96 R$254

$54.8 ฿1,796

-10.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 R$262

$25.43 ฿834

98.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 R$398

$91.9 ฿3,015

-16.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.58 R$252

$74.7 ฿2,449

-34.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 R$1,805

$467 ฿15.3K

-25.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 R$1,214

$282 ฿9,251

-17.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 R$3,356

$891 ฿29.2K

-27.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 R$2,314

$521 ฿17.1K

-14.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,610 R$8,363

$1,985 ฿65.1K

-18.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 R$5,977

$1,462 ฿48.0K

-21.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.54

5.57

107.18%

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

Last update for Rio do Sul: August 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $348 in Rio do Sul versus $467 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 $21.00 in Rio do Sul versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $158 in Rio do Sul vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Rio do Sul 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

Rio do Sul vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Rio do Sul, 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 $1,197 per month in Rio do Sul and $1,380 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Rio do Sul and $805 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 Rio do Sul, where all-in costs run around $798, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Rio do Sul 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. Rio do Sul costs $798 versus $920 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 Rio do Sul. 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.