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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $702 in Baiquan versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,121 in Baiquan versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,539 in Baiquan versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Baiquan costs roughly 19% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baiquan 48% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.43

$1.94 ฿63.5

40.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.25 ¥144

$18.64 ฿609

14.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 ¥33.30

$7.82 ฿255

-37.08%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ¥20.24

$1.95 ฿63.8

53.33%

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

$0.43 ¥2.92

$0.85 ฿27.77

-49.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.35 ฿11.58

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 ¥6.06

$2.13 ฿69.6

-58.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥14.06

$3.73 ฿122

-44.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$1.71 ฿56.0

4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥10.80

$1.63 ฿53.2

-1.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$1.14 ฿37.15

-21.05%

Eggs

$1.64 ¥11.10

$1.93 ฿63.1

-15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.4

$16.21 ฿530

-21.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.14

$3.12 ฿102

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 ¥68.4

$10.90 ฿356

-7.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.66

$2.75 ฿90.0

-37.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.23

$1.21 ฿39.52

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.65

$1.62 ฿53.0

-12.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$1.59 ฿51.8

-32.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$1.40 ฿45.70

-51.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.12

$1.17 ฿38.17

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ¥4.01

$0.66 ฿21.60

-10.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.75

$0.53 ฿17.22

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ¥21.32

$4.69 ฿153

-32.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 ¥77.1

$18.66 ฿609

-39.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.37

$1.80 ฿58.8

-56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.26

$3.23 ฿106

-48.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.90 ฿29.26

-67.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.96 ¥115

$19.21 ฿628

-11.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.30

$1.41 ฿45.91

-2.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$1.29 ฿42.12

-74.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 ¥44.93

$7.84 ฿256

-15.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.90

$1.27 ฿41.58

-7.87%

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

$19.1K ¥129.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-10.26%

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

$16.4K ¥110.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-26.27%

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

$46.03 ¥312

$69.1 ฿2,256

-33.36%

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

$9.59 ¥65.0

$14.08 ฿460

-31.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.62 ¥78.7

$18.00 ฿588

-35.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.13 ¥285

$41.06 ฿1,341

2.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.97 ¥94.6

$6.96 ฿227

100.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 ¥41.50

$5.92 ฿193

3.55%

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

$336 ¥2,278

$299 ฿9,766

12.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥115.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

13.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.56 ¥295

$54.7 ฿1,787

-20.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.63 ¥207

$26.77 ฿874

14.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 ¥481

$85.0 ฿2,776

-16.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 ¥510

$70.6 ฿2,306

6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 ¥1,865

$428 ฿14.0K

-35.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ¥1,284

$237 ฿7,752

-20.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 ¥4,004

$801 ฿26.2K

-26.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 ¥2,458

$515 ฿16.8K

-29.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,737 ¥18.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

38.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,784 ¥12.1K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

20.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

-22.60%

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

Last update for Baiquan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $275 in Baiquan and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Baiquan vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $198 vs $246, with Baiquan 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

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

Baiquan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,052 in Baiquan and $1,300 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: $275 in Baiquan versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $336 in Baiquan versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

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

For families, Baiquan 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, Baiquan 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 Baiquan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.