Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between São Gabriel and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in São Gabriel: $842 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in São Gabriel
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São Gabriel Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

São Gabriel

🇧🇷 Brazil

$842

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in São Gabriel and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in São Gabriel and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $842 per month in São Gabriel vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

São Gabriel $842
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $1,371 per month in São Gabriel vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

São Gabriel $1,371
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $1,901 per month in São Gabriel vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

São Gabriel $1,901
Chiang Mai $1,903

São Gabriel is about 9% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both São Gabriel and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – São Gabriel 38% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.66 R$28.70

$2.29 ฿76.5

147.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.73 R$206

$19.64 ฿656

107.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 R$35.76

$5.61 ฿188

25.67%

Cappuccino

$1.18 R$5.96

$1.66 ฿55.6

-28.92%

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

$1.37 R$6.96

$0.70 ฿23.40

95.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.19

$0.31 ฿10.24

229.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 R$6.98

$2.41 ฿80.4

-42.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 R$15.10

$3.71 ฿124

-19.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 R$4.63

$1.95 ฿65.3

-53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.24

$1.41 ฿47.03

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.48

$1.31 ฿43.62

-17.56%

Eggs

$1.42 R$7.22

$2.18 ฿72.9

-34.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 R$51.5

$16.65 ฿556

-39.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 R$25.16

$2.76 ฿92.2

79.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 R$49.87

$9.11 ฿304

8.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.92

$2.39 ฿80.0

-51.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.58

$1.03 ฿34.26

44.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.19

$1.63 ฿54.4

-37.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 R$3.86

$1.50 ฿50.0

-49.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.29 ฿43.13

-4.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 R$3.95

$1.11 ฿37.03

-29.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 R$4.44

$0.72 ฿24.08

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R$4.50

$0.53 ฿17.59

67.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 R$8.92

$4.31 ฿144

-59.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.06 R$20.58

$17.95 ฿600

-77.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 R$5.71

$1.58 ฿52.9

-28.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 R$8.25

$2.84 ฿95.0

-42.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.23

$0.86 ฿28.86

19.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.73 R$227

$53.3 ฿1,780

-16.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 R$6.51

$1.21 ฿40.29

5.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.13

$0.57 ฿18.99

42.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 R$42.79

$2.35 ฿78.6

259.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R$6.74

$1.44 ฿47.96

-7.64%

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

$23.4K R$118.5K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

12.77%

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

$34.4K R$174.3K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

28.33%

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

$75.5 R$382

$62.3 ฿2,083

21.05%

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

$12.49 R$63.3

$12.11 ฿405

3.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.98 R$111

$19.94 ฿666

10.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.34 R$134

$37.07 ฿1,239

-28.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.73 R$141

$3.78 ฿126

633.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 R$36.51

$6.50 ฿217

10.77%

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

$281 R$1,425

$793 ฿26.5K

-64.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,317 R$37.1K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

-50.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 R$261

$53.7 ฿1,796

-4.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.26 R$133

$24.62 ฿823

6.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R$519

$90.9 ฿3,036

12.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 R$408

$71.1 ฿2,378

13.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 R$1,772

$455 ฿15.2K

-23.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 R$1,204

$298 ฿9,954

-20.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 R$3,482

$908 ฿30.4K

-24.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 R$2,411

$554 ฿18.5K

-14.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,740 R$8,819

$1,931 ฿64.5K

-9.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 R$6,025

$1,445 ฿48.3K

-17.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

5.57

106.46%

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

Last update for São Gabriel: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

São Gabriel

$238 28.2%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 25.4% $60

Groceries & Markets

São Gabriel

$179 21.3%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 31.3% $56

Clothing & Footwear

São Gabriel

$117 13.9%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 7.8% $9.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

São Gabriel

$110 13.1%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 14.1% $16

Eating Out

São Gabriel

$103 12.2%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 23.7% $24

Getting Around

São Gabriel

$54 6.4%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 12.1% $6.6

Sport & Entertainment

São Gabriel

$41 4.8%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 22.8% $9.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $350 in São Gabriel versus $455 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 $41.00 in São Gabriel versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in São Gabriel vs $235 in Chiang Mai – so São Gabriel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇧🇷 São Gabriel

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

11:30 11:30 AM

21:30 9:30 PM

10 h ahead of São Gabriel

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,487

127,240

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

São Gabriel Chiang Mai 17,040 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

São Gabriel
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

São Gabriel vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than São Gabriel, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,263 per month in São Gabriel and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $281 per month in São Gabriel and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 São Gabriel, where all-in costs run around $842, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In São Gabriel 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. São Gabriel costs $842 versus $925 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 São Gabriel. 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.