Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vila Real and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,223 in Vila Real, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Vila Real
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Vila Real Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Vila Real

🇵🇹 Portugal

$1,223

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Vila Real vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Vila Real $1,223
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,790 per month in Vila Real vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Vila Real $1,790
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $2,356 per month in Vila Real vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Vila Real $2,356
Chiang Mai $1,979

Vila Real costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Vila Real and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Vila Real 10% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.12 €8.17

$2.24 ฿75.6

307.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.82 €24.92

$19.00 ฿641

46.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 €6.81

$5.55 ฿187

37.12%

Cappuccino

$1.10 €0.99

$1.67 ฿56.5

-34.13%

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

$1.70 €1.52

$0.64 ฿21.54

165.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €1.02

$0.31 ฿10.31

264.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €3.05

$2.36 ฿79.5

44.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.38

$3.66 ฿124

-57.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 €0.82

$1.95 ฿65.7

-53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.25

$1.44 ฿48.46

-3.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 €1.08

$1.33 ฿45.03

-9.77%

Eggs

$2.63 €2.36

$2.28 ฿77.1

15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.67 €8.66

$16.45 ฿555

-41.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 €6.98

$2.78 ฿93.9

180.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 €13.29

$9.31 ฿314

59.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 €1.51

$2.35 ฿79.4

-28.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 €1.19

$0.97 ฿32.79

37.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 €1.41

$1.60 ฿53.9

-1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.34

$1.50 ฿50.6

74.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.27

$1.28 ฿43.11

10.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 €1.54

$1.10 ฿37.18

56.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 €1.05

$0.71 ฿23.82

64.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 €0.38

$0.49 ฿16.36

-12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 €5.64

$4.14 ฿140

51.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.37 €3.91

$17.52 ฿591

-75.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.99

$1.61 ฿54.5

-31.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 €1.46

$2.78 ฿93.9

-41.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 €1.12

$0.87 ฿29.30

44.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.62 €22.05

$54.1 ฿1,825

-54.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.75

$1.16 ฿39.04

261.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 €1.52

$0.53 ฿17.80

220.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.81 €15.05

$2.42 ฿81.7

594.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.87

$1.45 ฿48.88

43.45%

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

$31.6K €28.3K

$21.1K ฿710.5K

50.26%

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

$37.4K €33.5K

$26.9K ฿909.0K

38.75%

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

$109 €97.3

$62.2 ฿2,098

74.67%

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

$16.62 €14.89

$12.17 ฿411

36.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.77 €41.00

$20.12 ฿679

127.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.35 €28.97

$37.31 ฿1,259

-13.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.22 €9.15

$3.77 ฿127

171.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.91 €7.98

$6.49 ฿219

37.29%

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

$328 €294

$736 ฿24.8K

-55.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,782 €8,760

$14.8K ฿498.2K

-33.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 €58.1

$53.4 ฿1,801

21.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.30 €28.04

$24.64 ฿831

27.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 €75.8

$91.5 ฿3,087

-7.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 €69.3

$71.9 ฿2,427

7.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 €703

$482 ฿16.3K

62.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 €431

$309 ฿10.4K

55.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 €905

$1,006 ฿33.9K

0.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 €685

$633 ฿21.4K

20.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,711 €1,533

$2,363 ฿79.7K

-27.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,313 €1,176

$1,589 ฿53.6K

-17.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 €963

$590 ฿19.9K

82.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

5.57

-36.27%

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

Last update for Vila Real: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vila Real

$481 39.4%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 35.8% $172

Groceries & Markets

Vila Real

$222 18.1%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 5.8% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vila Real

$171 14%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 44.8% $77

Eating Out

Vila Real

$140 11.5%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 44.8% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Vila Real

$116 9.5%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 6.5% $7.5

Sport & Entertainment

Vila Real

$50 4.1%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 0.2% $0.1

Getting Around

Vila Real

$42 3.5%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 44.9% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $785 in Vila Real versus $482 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 82% higher in Vila Real. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28 in Vila Real versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Vila Real vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Vila Real wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Vila Real

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

22:03 10:03 PM

05:03 5:03 AM

7 h ahead of Vila Real

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

49,574

127,240

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Vila Real Chiang Mai 9,960 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Vila Real
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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

Vila Real vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vila Real costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,835 per month in Vila Real and $1,403 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $785 in Vila Real.

Kindergarten costs $328 per month in Vila Real and $736 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 5% cheaper in Vila Real – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,223 in Vila Real and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,223 in Vila Real. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vila Real makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.