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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Bac Kan versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,242 in Bac Kan versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,710 in Bac Kan versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Bac Kan 43% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₫53.9K

$2.08 ฿69.3

-0.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.41 ₫556.9K

$19.61 ฿653

9.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.42 ₫115.1K

$5.67 ฿189

-22.05%

Cappuccino

$1.84 ₫47.8K

$1.81 ฿60.1

1.66%

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

$0.49 ₫12.8K

$0.77 ฿25.58

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₫7,847

$0.35 ฿11.49

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₫30.6K

$2.21 ฿73.7

-46.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₫51.2K

$3.79 ฿126

-48.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ₫39.0K

$2.05 ฿68.2

-26.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$1.51 ฿50.4

-33.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$1.40 ฿46.57

-45.71%

Eggs

$1.42 ₫37.1K

$2.26 ฿75.2

-37.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 ₫275.4K

$16.19 ฿539

-34.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 ₫100.8K

$2.90 ฿96.4

33.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 ₫262.2K

$9.42 ฿314

7.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ₫80.6K

$2.68 ฿89.2

15.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.4K

$1.09 ฿36.28

-3.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₫34.6K

$1.62 ฿53.8

-17.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.3K

$1.46 ฿48.61

-25.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ₫23.9K

$1.28 ฿42.54

-28.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.3K

$1.06 ฿35.21

6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₫15.3K

$0.72 ฿23.88

-18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$0.53 ฿17.51

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.43 ₫37.2K

$4.23 ฿141

-66.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 ₫326.2K

$18.29 ฿609

-31.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₫24.8K

$1.63 ฿54.3

-41.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₫41.9K

$2.90 ฿96.6

-44.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,876

$0.88 ฿29.24

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.69 ₫174.1K

$53.8 ฿1,790

-87.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₫21.0K

$1.17 ฿39.04

-30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.5K

$0.58 ฿19.25

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 ₫61.9K

$2.39 ฿79.4

-0.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫22.0K

$1.45 ฿48.28

-42.07%

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

$31.2K ₫811.3M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

48.41%

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

$30.3K ₫787.6M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

14.55%

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

$82.5 ₫2.1M

$63.7 ฿2,119

29.63%

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

$5.14 ₫133.7K

$12.89 ฿429

-60.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.10 ₫236.8K

$20.52 ฿683

-55.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 ₫582.3K

$39.02 ฿1,299

-42.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.81 ₫203.3K

$3.92 ฿130

99.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 ₫108.0K

$6.58 ฿219

-36.93%

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

$164 ₫4.3M

$784 ฿26.1K

-79.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.2K ₫706.9M

$14.7K ฿488.4K

85.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.59 ₫1.3M

$55.1 ฿1,835

-11.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.02 ₫703.1K

$24.74 ฿824

9.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 ₫2.2M

$94.1 ฿3,133

-10.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ₫2.2M

$74.0 ฿2,462

15.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 ₫10.6M

$490 ฿16.3K

-16.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ₫7.3M

$288 ฿9,594

-2.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 ₫19.2M

$891 ฿29.7K

-17.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₫16.0M

$521 ฿17.3K

17.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,822 ₫73.4M

$1,974 ฿65.7K

42.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,307 ₫34.0M

$1,444 ฿48.1K

-9.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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 Kan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Bac Kan and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Bac Kan vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $241, with Bac Kan 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

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

Bac Kan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,161 in Bac Kan and $1,398 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: $407 in Bac Kan versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bac Kan – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $774 per month in Bac Kan versus $932 in Chiang Mai – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Bac Kan versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bac Kan but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bac Kan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bac Kan 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 Kan 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 Kan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.