Cost of Living Comparison Between Vacoas and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Vacoas and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $737 per month in Vacoas vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,124 per month in Vacoas vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,511 per month in Vacoas vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Vacoas is about 15% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vacoas and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Vacoas 45% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.45 MUR 305

$1.94 ฿63.6

232.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.98 MUR 1,560

$18.64 ฿609

76.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 MUR 234

$7.82 ฿256

-36.83%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MUR 122

$1.95 ฿63.9

31.79%

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

$0.96 MUR 45.29

$0.85 ฿27.80

12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.64

$0.35 ฿11.60

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MUR 103

$2.13 ฿69.7

1.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MUR 94.9

$3.73 ฿122

-46.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MUR 60.4

$1.71 ฿56.0

-25.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.75

$1.63 ฿53.3

-56.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MUR 60.9

$1.14 ฿37.18

13.16%

Eggs

$2.18 MUR 103

$1.93 ฿63.2

12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.67 MUR 126

$16.21 ฿530

-83.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 MUR 142

$3.12 ฿102

-3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 MUR 261

$10.90 ฿356

-49.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 94.0

$2.75 ฿90.1

-27.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 MUR 96.3

$1.21 ฿39.56

67.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 68.0

$1.62 ฿53.0

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 MUR 130

$1.59 ฿51.9

72.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.50

$1.40 ฿45.75

-26.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 48.01

$1.17 ฿38.20

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 MUR 37.31

$0.66 ฿21.62

19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MUR 33.55

$0.53 ฿17.24

33.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 MUR 268

$4.69 ฿153

20.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 MUR 299

$18.66 ฿610

-66.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 MUR 68.0

$1.80 ฿58.8

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 MUR 103

$3.23 ฿106

-32.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MUR 47.96

$0.90 ฿29.28

12.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MUR 212

$1.41 ฿45.96

217.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 MUR 124

$1.29 ฿42.16

103.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MUR 204

$7.84 ฿256

-44.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MUR 66.9

$1.27 ฿41.62

11.02%

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

$26.7K MUR 1.3M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

25.28%

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

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

31.54%

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

$49.62 MUR 2,348

$69.1 ฿2,258

-28.16%

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

$10.89 MUR 515

$14.08 ฿460

-22.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.99 MUR 1,230

$18.00 ฿588

44.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.80 MUR 1,268

$41.06 ฿1,342

-34.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 MUR 260

$5.92 ฿193

-7.26%

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

$155 MUR 7,353

$299 ฿9,775

-48.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,977 MUR 188.2K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-73.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.28 MUR 1,386

$54.7 ฿1,788

-46.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.55 MUR 1,399

$26.77 ฿875

10.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 MUR 3,108

$85.0 ฿2,778

-22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 MUR 2,830

$70.6 ฿2,308

-15.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 MUR 12.6K

$428 ฿14.0K

-37.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 MUR 11.2K

$237 ฿7,759

0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MUR 23.9K

$801 ฿26.2K

-36.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 MUR 15.2K

$515 ฿16.9K

-37.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$700 MUR 33.1K

$617 ฿20.2K

13.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

-15.00%

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

Last update for Vacoas: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Vacoas versus $428 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 13% higher in Vacoas, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Vacoas versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Vacoas vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Vacoas 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

Vacoas vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Vacoas, 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 $1,106 per month in Vacoas and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vacoas, 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 $33.00 in Vacoas and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $737 in Vacoas and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Vacoas costs $737 versus $866 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 Vacoas. 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.