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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $771 in Bago versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Bago versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,668 in Bago versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bago costs roughly 10% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bago 42% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ₱213

$2.04 ฿68.4

70.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.77 ₱1,091

$18.71 ฿626

-5.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 ₱204

$7.86 ฿263

-57.63%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ₱149

$2.03 ฿67.9

19.21%

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

$0.84 ₱51.5

$0.80 ฿26.71

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱24.20

$0.35 ฿11.71

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱80.5

$2.14 ฿71.7

-38.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₱130

$3.67 ฿123

-42.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ₱113

$1.73 ฿57.8

6.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ₱78.3

$1.57 ฿52.5

-18.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱61.2

$1.20 ฿40.10

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.09 ₱129

$1.97 ฿66.0

6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 ₱507

$16.23 ฿543

-49.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 ₱263

$3.06 ฿102

40.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 ₱468

$10.80 ฿361

-29.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ₱176

$2.77 ฿92.6

3.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₱94.8

$1.17 ฿39.05

31.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 ₱165

$1.71 ฿57.1

56.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ₱98.2

$1.59 ฿53.3

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$1.39 ฿46.63

64.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 ₱160

$1.16 ฿38.67

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱68.5

$0.66 ฿22.11

69.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.14

$0.52 ฿17.35

48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 ₱171

$4.65 ฿155

-40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 ₱493

$17.78 ฿595

-54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₱73.2

$1.79 ฿59.8

-33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱122

$3.34 ฿112

-40.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.75

$0.91 ฿30.35

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱51.2

$1.41 ฿47.17

-41.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.75

$1.34 ฿44.82

-82.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₱135

$8.11 ฿271

-73.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱69.7

$1.23 ฿41.27

-8.13%

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

$26.4K ₱1.6M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

23.12%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

-5.56%

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

$111 ₱6,785

$71.3 ฿2,386

54.93%

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

$32.66 ₱2,006

$14.01 ฿469

133.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.27 ₱1,674

$17.93 ฿600

52.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.81 ₱2,076

$40.82 ฿1,365

-17.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.36 ₱268

$6.88 ฿230

-36.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ₱355

$5.72 ฿191

1.05%

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

$152 ₱9,350

$308 ฿10.3K

-50.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,234 ₱260.0K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-71.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.45 ₱2,852

$55.8 ฿1,865

-16.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.93 ₱1,653

$26.04 ฿871

3.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ₱4,627

$84.8 ฿2,837

-11.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.0 ₱3,313

$71.0 ฿2,375

-23.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.5K

$423 ฿14.2K

-36.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$242 ฿8,110

-25.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₱36.1K

$797 ฿26.7K

-26.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$507 ฿17.0K

-23.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,081 ₱127.8K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

8.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$931 ₱57.1K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-36.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

33.40%

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

Last update for Bago: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Bago and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Bago vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $244 per month, with Bago 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

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

Bago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,157 in Bago 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: $269 in Bago versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $152 in Bago versus $308 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bago – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bago gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Bago 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, Bago 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 Bago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.