Cost of Living Comparison Between Bac Giang and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bac Giang and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $772 in Bac Giang versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,220 in Bac Giang versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,667 in Bac Giang versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bac Giang costs roughly 17% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bac Giang 44% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 ₫49.4K

$2.08 ฿69.3

-8.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.33 ₫398.9K

$19.61 ฿653

-21.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.46 ₫116.1K

$5.67 ฿189

-21.34%

Cappuccino

$1.90 ₫49.6K

$1.81 ฿60.1

4.97%

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

$0.37 ₫9,523

$0.77 ฿25.58

-51.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₫6,719

$0.35 ฿11.49

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 ₫19.6K

$2.21 ฿73.7

-66.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₫24.7K

$3.79 ฿126

-74.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ₫39.0K

$2.05 ฿68.2

-26.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ₫26.3K

$1.51 ฿50.4

-33.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 ₫20.8K

$1.40 ฿46.57

-42.86%

Eggs

$1.44 ₫37.6K

$2.26 ฿75.2

-36.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 ₫275.2K

$16.19 ฿539

-34.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ₫99.9K

$2.90 ฿96.4

32.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 ₫255.5K

$9.42 ฿314

4.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 ₫81.4K

$2.68 ฿89.2

16.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.5K

$1.09 ฿36.28

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₫34.7K

$1.62 ฿53.8

-17.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.5K

$1.46 ฿48.61

-22.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₫25.6K

$1.28 ฿42.54

-23.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.2K

$1.06 ฿35.21

5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₫15.4K

$0.72 ฿23.88

-18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.2K

$0.53 ฿17.51

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.42 ₫37.0K

$4.23 ฿141

-66.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 ₫319.6K

$18.29 ฿609

-32.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₫22.5K

$1.63 ฿54.3

-46.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₫43.5K

$2.90 ฿96.6

-42.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,294

$0.88 ฿29.24

-63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.58 ₫171.2K

$53.8 ฿1,790

-87.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₫20.9K

$1.17 ฿39.04

-31.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₫14.7K

$0.58 ฿19.25

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₫61.5K

$2.39 ฿79.4

-1.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₫23.0K

$1.45 ฿48.28

-39.31%

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

$30.3K ₫787.8M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

44.09%

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

$30.9K ₫803.2M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

16.83%

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

$81.7 ₫2.1M

$63.7 ฿2,119

28.31%

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

$4.96 ₫129.0K

$12.89 ฿429

-61.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.93 ₫232.2K

$20.52 ฿683

-56.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.35 ₫581.4K

$39.02 ฿1,299

-42.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.59 ₫197.5K

$3.92 ฿130

93.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 ₫108.3K

$6.58 ฿219

-36.78%

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

$161 ₫4.2M

$784 ฿26.1K

-79.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.7K ₫719.5M

$14.7K ฿488.4K

88.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 ₫1.3M

$55.1 ฿1,835

-9.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.03 ₫703.4K

$24.74 ฿824

9.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 ₫2.1M

$94.1 ฿3,133

-12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ₫2.1M

$74.0 ฿2,462

11.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$144 ₫3.8M

$490 ฿16.3K

-70.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ₫7.1M

$288 ฿9,594

-4.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₫19.6M

$891 ฿29.7K

-15.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 ₫15.9M

$521 ฿17.3K

17.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,868 ₫74.6M

$1,974 ฿65.7K

45.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,315 ₫34.2M

$1,444 ฿48.1K

-8.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 ₫5.4M

$602 ฿20.0K

-65.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.45

5.57

51.71%

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

Last update for Bac Giang: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $144 in Bac Giang and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 188% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $15.00 in Bac Giang vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $241 per month, with Bac Giang cheaper across the board.

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

Bac Giang vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bac Giang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 188% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $144 in Bac Giang versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bac Giang – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $772 in Bac Giang versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bac Giang but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bac Giang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bac Giang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bac Giang 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 Bac Giang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.