Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Luis: $832 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Sao Luis
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Sao Luis Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Sao Luis

🇧🇷 Brazil

$832

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Luis 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 Sao Luis and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $832 per month in Sao Luis vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sao Luis $832
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in Sao Luis vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sao Luis $1,317
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Sao Luis vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sao Luis $1,802
Chiang Mai $1,903

Sao Luis is about 10% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sao Luis and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sao Luis 39% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 R$33.64

$2.29 ฿76.5

189.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.14 R$203

$19.64 ฿656

104.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 R$34.93

$5.61 ฿188

22.82%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R$10.80

$1.66 ฿55.6

28.31%

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

$1.22 R$6.20

$0.70 ฿23.40

74.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R$3.60

$0.31 ฿10.24

129.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 R$9.87

$2.41 ฿80.4

-19.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 R$12.31

$3.71 ฿124

-34.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.33

$1.95 ฿65.3

-46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 R$10.06

$1.41 ฿47.03

40.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.80

$1.31 ฿43.62

-12.98%

Eggs

$2.21 R$11.21

$2.18 ฿72.9

1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 R$49.77

$16.65 ฿556

-41.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 R$21.87

$2.76 ฿92.2

56.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 R$39.99

$9.11 ฿304

-13.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 R$11.02

$2.39 ฿80.0

-9.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.02

$1.03 ฿34.26

33.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.08

$1.63 ฿54.4

-26.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 R$8.58

$1.50 ฿50.0

12.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.03

$1.29 ฿43.13

7.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.45

$1.11 ฿37.03

14.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 R$4.46

$0.72 ฿24.08

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$3.88

$0.53 ฿17.59

45.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 R$11.97

$4.31 ฿144

-45.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 R$40.90

$17.95 ฿600

-55.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.44

$1.58 ฿52.9

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R$11.42

$2.84 ฿95.0

-20.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 R$4.30

$0.86 ฿28.86

-1.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.93 R$192

$53.3 ฿1,780

-28.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.83

$1.21 ฿40.29

-21.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.66

$0.57 ฿18.99

61.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R$6.29

$1.44 ฿47.96

-13.89%

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

$23.8K R$120.7K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

14.86%

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

$30.7K R$155.9K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

14.72%

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

$95.3 R$483

$62.3 ฿2,083

52.82%

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

$17.60 R$89.2

$12.11 ฿405

45.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.13 R$107

$19.94 ฿666

5.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.40 R$103

$37.07 ฿1,239

-44.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.06 R$76.4

$3.78 ฿126

298.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 R$34.25

$6.50 ฿217

4.00%

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

$184 R$935

$793 ฿26.5K

-76.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,903 R$14.7K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

-80.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 R$327

$53.7 ฿1,796

20.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 R$275

$24.62 ฿823

120.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 R$386

$90.9 ฿3,036

-16.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 R$300

$71.1 ฿2,378

-16.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 R$1,824

$455 ฿15.2K

-20.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 R$930

$298 ฿9,954

-38.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 R$2,923

$908 ฿30.4K

-36.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 R$1,635

$554 ฿18.5K

-41.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,529 R$7,749

$1,931 ฿64.5K

-20.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$717 R$3,633

$1,445 ฿48.3K

-50.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$394 R$1,998

$591 ฿19.7K

-33.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Sao Luis: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Sao Luis

$197 23.7%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 19.3% $38

Accommodation & Living

Sao Luis

$184 22.1%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 62.3% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Luis

$134 16.1%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 29.6% $40

Eating Out

Sao Luis

$122 14.6%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 35.4% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Luis

$114 13.8%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 5.4% $6.1

Getting Around

Sao Luis

$47 5.6%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 29.7% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Luis

$34 4.1%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 47.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Sao Luis 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.

Salaries run about 50% 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 $40.00 in Sao Luis versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Sao Luis vs $235 in Chiang Mai – so Sao Luis wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Luis

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

08:41 8:41 AM

18:41 6:41 PM

10 h ahead of Sao Luis

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,037,775

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 20, 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 20, 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

Sao Luis Chiang Mai 15,630 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Luis
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

Sao Luis vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Sao Luis, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,247 per month in Sao Luis 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 Sao Luis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $184 per month in Sao Luis 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 19% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Luis, where all-in costs run around $832, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Sao Luis 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. Sao Luis costs $832 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 Sao Luis. 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.