Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Caetano do Sul and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Caetano do Sul and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $922 per month in Sao Caetano do Sul vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,640 per month in Sao Caetano do Sul vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,358 per month in Sao Caetano do Sul vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sao Caetano do Sul costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sao Caetano do Sul and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sao Caetano do Sul 31% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.25 R$37.04

$1.96 ฿65.9

269.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 R$164

$18.35 ฿617

74.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 R$35.33

$7.48 ฿252

-7.62%

Cappuccino

$1.78 R$9.12

$2.02 ฿67.8

-11.88%

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

$1.24 R$6.34

$0.85 ฿28.52

45.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R$4.01

$0.36 ฿11.97

119.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.36

$2.14 ฿71.9

-14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 R$14.07

$3.59 ฿121

-23.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.21

$1.65 ฿55.5

-38.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.40

$1.57 ฿52.7

17.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.65

$1.19 ฿40.05

9.24%

Eggs

$2.40 R$12.25

$1.94 ฿65.1

23.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 R$51.3

$16.19 ฿545

-37.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 R$21.41

$2.99 ฿101

40.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.38 R$42.82

$10.94 ฿368

-23.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 R$11.04

$2.71 ฿91.2

-20.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.13

$1.17 ฿39.27

35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.23

$1.69 ฿56.8

-15.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 R$8.95

$1.60 ฿54.0

9.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.42

$1.38 ฿46.56

5.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.43

$1.20 ฿40.47

5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 R$5.16

$0.67 ฿22.51

50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.50

$0.56 ฿18.74

23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 R$11.56

$4.64 ฿156

-51.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 R$40.11

$17.62 ฿593

-55.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 R$6.79

$1.86 ฿62.6

-28.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.28

$3.30 ฿111

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 R$4.67

$0.88 ฿29.70

3.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.18 R$195

$19.34 ฿651

97.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 R$5.94

$1.36 ฿45.92

-14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 R$3.16

$1.34 ฿45.00

-53.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 R$40.02

$8.21 ฿276

-4.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.36

$1.22 ฿41.20

-13.93%

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

$21.9K R$111.8K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

2.42%

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

$28.8K R$147.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

27.93%

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

$54.1 R$277

$70.7 ฿2,378

-23.42%

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

$13.12 R$67.0

$14.04 ฿472

-6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.63 R$116

$17.49 ฿589

29.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 R$244

$42.15 ฿1,418

13.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.60 R$238

$6.88 ฿231

577.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.19 R$36.75

$5.92 ฿199

21.45%

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

$333 R$1,699

$309 ฿10.4K

7.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,648 R$44.2K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-41.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 R$262

$55.8 ฿1,876

-7.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.88 R$214

$26.11 ฿879

60.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 R$397

$83.0 ฿2,793

-6.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 R$387

$70.5 ฿2,371

7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 R$1,633

$432 ฿14.5K

-26.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 R$1,409

$239 ฿8,040

15.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 R$3,262

$822 ฿27.7K

-22.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$916 R$4,682

$512 ฿17.2K

78.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,631 R$8,338

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-14.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,128 R$5,766

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-23.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$924 R$4,721

$579 ฿19.5K

59.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.17

123.40%

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

Last update for Sao Caetano do Sul: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Sao Caetano do Sul versus $432 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 59% higher in Sao Caetano do Sul, 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 $32.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Sao Caetano do Sul vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Sao Caetano 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

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

Sao Caetano do Sul costs about 7% 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 $1,383 per month in Sao Caetano do Sul and $1,292 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.

Kindergarten costs $333 per month in Sao Caetano do Sul and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Sao Caetano do Sul – 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 $922 in Sao Caetano do Sul and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $922 in Sao Caetano do Sul. 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, Sao Caetano do Sul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.