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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $878 in Babahoyo versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Babahoyo versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,744 in Babahoyo versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Babahoyo is roughly 3% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Babahoyo 34% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 $3.48

$2.04 ฿68.2

70.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.45 $25.45

$18.71 ฿624

36.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 $7.12

$7.86 ฿262

-9.41%

Cappuccino

$2.51 $2.51

$2.03 ฿67.7

23.65%

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

$0.87 $0.87

$0.80 ฿26.64

8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.35 ฿11.68

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.14 ฿71.5

-9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.67 ฿122

-7.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.73 ฿57.6

-36.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.57 ฿52.4

3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.20 ฿39.99

30.00%

Eggs

$2.20 $2.20

$1.97 ฿65.8

11.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$16.23 ฿541

-63.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$3.06 ฿102

85.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$10.80 ฿360

-40.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.77 ฿92.3

-26.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.17 ฿38.94

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.71 ฿57.0

-35.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.59 ฿53.2

-34.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.39 ฿46.51

4.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.16 ฿38.56

-11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.66 ฿22.05

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.52 ฿17.31

103.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.65 ฿155

24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 $9.31

$17.78 ฿593

-47.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.79 ฿59.6

-12.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.34 ฿111

-17.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.91 ฿30.27

-62.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.32 $24.32

$18.64 ฿622

30.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.41 ฿47.04

-9.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.34 ฿44.70

-26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.06 $10.06

$8.11 ฿270

24.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$1.23 ฿41.16

-44.72%

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

$19.7K $19.7K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

-8.22%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

33.38%

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

$37.34 $37.34

$71.3 ฿2,379

-47.65%

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

$13.89 $13.89

$14.01 ฿467

-0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 $31.01

$17.93 ฿598

72.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.50 $29.50

$40.82 ฿1,362

-27.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.91 $14.91

$6.88 ฿230

116.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.01 $7.01

$5.72 ฿191

22.55%

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

$254 $254

$308 ฿10.3K

-17.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,615 $5,615

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-61.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$55.8 ฿1,860

-0.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.82 $42.82

$26.04 ฿869

64.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$84.8 ฿2,829

14.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 $65.5

$71.0 ฿2,368

-7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 $342

$423 ฿14.1K

-19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 $322

$242 ฿8,088

32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 $626

$797 ฿26.6K

-21.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 $499

$507 ฿16.9K

-1.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,116 $1,116

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-41.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$695 $695

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-52.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.6

112.00%

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

Last update for Babahoyo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Babahoyo and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Babahoyo vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $244, with Babahoyo cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Babahoyo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,317 in Babahoyo and $1,279 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $342 in Babahoyo versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $254 in Babahoyo versus $308 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Babahoyo pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Babahoyo and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Babahoyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.