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 $1,011 per month in Sao Caetano do Sul vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,738 per month in Sao Caetano do Sul vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,465 per month in Sao Caetano do Sul vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sao Caetano do Sul costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sao Caetano do Sul and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sao Caetano do Sul 26% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 R$43.02

$2.08 ฿69.2

306.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.22 R$205

$19.64 ฿651

104.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 R$41.27

$5.65 ฿188

43.36%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R$11.30

$1.81 ฿59.9

22.65%

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

$1.22 R$6.23

$0.71 ฿23.66

71.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.09

$0.32 ฿10.48

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 R$11.59

$2.24 ฿74.2

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 R$18.57

$3.63 ฿121

0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.05

$1.96 ฿65.0

-39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 R$10.75

$1.50 ฿49.83

40.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.99

$1.34 ฿44.32

2.24%

Eggs

$2.74 R$13.93

$2.26 ฿75.1

21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 R$57.0

$16.26 ฿539

-31.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 R$26.33

$2.95 ฿98.0

75.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 R$52.5

$9.94 ฿330

3.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 R$11.67

$2.57 ฿85.3

-10.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.22

$1.06 ฿35.04

70.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.09

$1.61 ฿53.5

-1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.12

$1.52 ฿50.4

17.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.01

$1.27 ฿42.14

8.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.12

$1.07 ฿35.37

12.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 R$4.90

$0.72 ฿23.89

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 R$4.12

$0.51 ฿16.87

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 R$11.99

$4.19 ฿139

-43.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 R$44.75

$17.87 ฿593

-50.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 R$8.17

$1.69 ฿56.2

-5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$12.17

$2.84 ฿94.1

-15.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 R$1.90

$0.93 ฿30.70

-60.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 R$6.47

$1.23 ฿40.95

3.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R$4.77

$0.58 ฿19.13

62.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 R$42.74

$2.42 ฿80.4

246.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R$6.28

$1.41 ฿46.84

-12.77%

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

$23.0K R$117.0K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

7.10%

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

$31.0K R$158.1K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

13.54%

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

$100.0 R$509

$63.7 ฿2,112

57.00%

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

$15.66 R$79.8

$12.85 ฿426

21.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 R$111

$20.22 ฿671

8.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 R$249

$38.74 ฿1,285

26.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.26 R$225

$3.97 ฿132

1014.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.56 R$48.71

$6.74 ฿223

41.84%

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

$430 R$2,189

$778 ฿25.8K

-44.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,663 R$49.2K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-33.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 R$314

$54.3 ฿1,801

13.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 R$284

$25.45 ฿844

119.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 R$481

$94.3 ฿3,129

0.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 R$425

$73.4 ฿2,436

13.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 R$2,070

$490 ฿16.2K

-17.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 R$1,534

$289 ฿9,596

4.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 R$4,124

$894 ฿29.6K

-9.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 R$4,179

$517 ฿17.1K

58.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,779 R$9,060

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-9.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,405 R$7,154

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-4.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$907 R$4,619

$602 ฿20.0K

50.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.81

5.57

94.08%

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

Last update for Sao Caetano do Sul: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $406 in Sao Caetano do Sul 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 51% 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 $40.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Sao Caetano do Sul vs $240 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 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 $1,516 per month in Sao Caetano do Sul and $1,421 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Sao Caetano do Sul at $1,011. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sao Caetano do Sul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,011 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.