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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $599 per month in Bakuriani vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $973 per month in Bakuriani vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,346 per month in Bakuriani vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Bakuriani and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bakuriani 55% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.91 ₾23.31

$2.04 ฿68.4

336.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.34 ₾76.8

$18.71 ฿626

56.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 ₾19.38

$7.86 ฿263

-5.85%

Cappuccino

$2.66 ₾6.97

$2.03 ฿67.9

31.03%

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

$0.80 ₾2.08

$0.80 ฿26.71

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₾1.07

$0.35 ฿11.71

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₾3.77

$2.14 ฿71.7

-32.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₾5.62

$3.67 ฿123

-41.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ₾4.60

$1.73 ฿57.8

1.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₾1.44

$1.57 ฿52.5

-64.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ₾4.04

$1.20 ฿40.10

28.33%

Eggs

$2.29 ₾6.01

$1.97 ฿66.0

16.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.66 ₾17.43

$16.23 ฿543

-58.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 ₾13.36

$3.06 ฿102

66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.85 ₾23.16

$10.80 ฿361

-18.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 ₾2.94

$2.77 ฿92.6

-59.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ₾3.73

$1.17 ฿39.05

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₾3.48

$1.71 ฿57.1

-22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 ₾4.51

$1.59 ฿53.3

8.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ₾1.38

$1.39 ฿46.63

-61.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 ₾1.38

$1.16 ฿38.67

-54.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.55

$0.66 ฿22.11

106.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.69

$0.52 ฿17.35

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₾7.54

$4.65 ฿155

-38.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 ₾14.61

$17.78 ฿595

-68.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₾3.42

$1.79 ฿59.8

-26.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₾5.17

$3.34 ฿112

-41.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ₾2.92

$1.41 ฿47.17

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 ₾1.37

$1.34 ฿44.82

-61.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 ₾7.76

$8.11 ฿271

-63.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₾2.95

$1.23 ฿41.27

-8.13%

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

$14.5K ₾37.9K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

-32.48%

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

$18.4K ₾48.2K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

-15.60%

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

$74.5 ₾195

$71.3 ฿2,386

4.39%

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

$10.46 ₾27.38

$14.01 ฿469

-25.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.03 ₾44.59

$17.93 ฿600

-5.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.37 ₾14.07

$5.72 ฿191

-6.12%

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

$245 ₾640

$308 ฿10.3K

-20.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,953 ₾7,731

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-79.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.4 ₾224

$55.8 ฿1,865

53.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.81 ₾109

$26.04 ฿871

60.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ₾316

$84.8 ฿2,837

42.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₾274

$71.0 ฿2,375

47.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.17

143.40%

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

Last update for Bakuriani: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Bakuriani versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $176 in Bakuriani vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Bakuriani 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Bakuriani, 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 $899 per month in Bakuriani and $1,279 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 $599 in Bakuriani and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $245 per month in Bakuriani and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $599 in Bakuriani and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakuriani costs $599 versus $852 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 Bakuriani. 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.