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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Bac Ninh vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $986 per month in Bac Ninh vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,367 per month in Bac Ninh vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bac Ninh is about 30% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bac Ninh and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bac Ninh 55% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.16 ₫30.5K

$1.98 ฿64.3

-41.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.98 ₫708.3K

$18.80 ฿612

43.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.59 ₫67.9K

$7.75 ฿252

-66.58%

Cappuccino

$1.14 ₫29.9K

$1.92 ฿62.5

-40.63%

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

$0.26 ₫6,766

$0.79 ฿25.79

-67.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₫4,535

$0.36 ฿11.62

-52.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.66 ₫17.2K

$2.21 ฿72.1

-70.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$3.66 ฿119

-74.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ₫37.6K

$1.65 ฿53.8

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₫25.3K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-41.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₫24.1K

$1.19 ฿38.86

-22.69%

Eggs

$1.54 ₫40.5K

$2.00 ฿65.1

-23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 ₫235.9K

$15.98 ฿520

-43.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 ₫98.0K

$3.03 ฿98.5

23.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₫251.1K

$10.86 ฿354

-11.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ₫88.6K

$2.76 ฿90.0

22.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.8K

$1.18 ฿38.42

-10.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ₫43.5K

$1.64 ฿53.5

1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.4K

$1.52 ฿49.51

-28.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.1K

$1.38 ฿45.10

-22.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.7K

$1.19 ฿38.84

-11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₫14.7K

$0.70 ฿22.86

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫14.9K

$0.56 ฿18.13

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.33 ₫34.8K

$4.58 ฿149

-70.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 ₫344.2K

$16.56 ฿539

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₫23.4K

$1.83 ฿59.5

-51.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₫45.7K

$3.20 ฿104

-45.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,949

$0.88 ฿28.56

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.66 ₫174.8K

$18.72 ฿610

-64.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₫21.0K

$1.36 ฿44.16

-41.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₫15.1K

$1.34 ฿43.65

-56.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 ₫42.1K

$7.84 ฿256

-79.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.4K

$1.23 ฿39.92

-27.64%

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

$38.0K ₫997.1M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

75.66%

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

$31.9K ₫836.5M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

41.34%

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

$77.8 ₫2.0M

$70.5 ฿2,298

10.33%

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

$5.19 ₫136.3K

$13.68 ฿445

-62.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.88 ₫180.6K

$17.45 ฿568

-60.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.34 ₫297.6K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-72.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 ₫195.4K

$6.96 ฿227

6.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 ₫82.9K

$5.77 ฿188

-45.23%

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

$265 ₫6.9M

$307 ฿10.0K

-13.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,450 ₫169.3M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-55.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.84 ₫1.2M

$55.8 ฿1,817

-21.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.99 ₫603.6K

$26.21 ฿854

-12.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 ₫2.3M

$85.8 ฿2,793

4.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ₫1.9M

$72.2 ฿2,353

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₫7.1M

$430 ฿14.0K

-37.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 ₫4.0M

$239 ฿7,774

-36.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 ₫15.1M

$817 ฿26.6K

-29.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ₫9.2M

$511 ฿16.6K

-31.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,624 ₫42.6M

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-18.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$763 ₫20.0M

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-48.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$370 ₫9.7M

$619 ฿20.2K

-40.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

82.00%

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

Last update for Bac Ninh: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Bac Ninh versus $430 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 67% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bac Ninh versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Bac Ninh vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Bac Ninh 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Bac Ninh, 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 $906 per month in Bac Ninh and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bac Ninh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $604 in Bac Ninh and $869 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 181% less in Bac Ninh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $604 in Bac Ninh and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bac Ninh costs $604 versus $869 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 Bac Ninh. 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.