Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakau and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakau: $323 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Bakau

🇬🇲 Gambia

$323

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bakau and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bakau and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $323 per month in Bakau vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bakau $323
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $725 per month in Bakau vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bakau $725
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,127 per month in Bakau vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bakau $1,127
Chiang Mai $1,979

Bakau is about 65% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bakau and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bakau 76% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 GMD 397

$2.24 ฿75.6

139.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 GMD 5,620

$19.00 ฿641

299.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 GMD 578

$5.55 ฿187

40.72%

Cappuccino

$3.97 GMD 294

$1.67 ฿56.5

137.72%

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

$2.25 GMD 166

$0.64 ฿21.53

251.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 GMD 83.4

$0.31 ฿10.30

264.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 GMD 279

$2.36 ฿79.5

59.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 GMD 272

$3.66 ฿124

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 GMD 177

$1.95 ฿65.7

22.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

Eggs

$5.14 GMD 381

$2.28 ฿77.0

125.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.56 GMD 1,227

$2.78 ฿93.8

495.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$13.45 GMD 997

$17.52 ฿591

-23.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 GMD 149

$1.61 ฿54.5

24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 GMD 206

$2.78 ฿93.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

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

$12.17 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.4 GMD 5,068

$633 ฿21.4K

-89.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Bakau: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bakau

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Bakau

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Bakau

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bakau

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Bakau

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Bakau

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Bakau

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Bakau versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Bakau vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Bakau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇬🇲 Bakau

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

14:32 2:32 PM

21:32 9:32 PM

7 h ahead of Bakau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

43,098

127,240

💱 Currency

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 GMD = 1.35 USD

100 GMD = 1.21 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to GMD – Gambian Dalasi Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇲 Gambian Dalasi (D)

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 74.1 GMD (100 GMD = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 82.69 GMD (100 GMD = 1.21 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to GMD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bakau Chiang Mai 12,110 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Bakau
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 189% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $485 per month in Bakau and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $323 in Bakau and $936 in Chiang Mai. That makes Bakau about 65% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bakau, where all-in costs run around $323, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Bakau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $323 in Bakau to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.