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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,211 per month in Ballsh vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,879 per month in Ballsh vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,548 per month in Ballsh vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 41% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ballsh and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 9% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 ALL 955

$1.96 ฿65.9

497.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 ALL 4,782

$18.35 ฿617

219.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 ALL 557

$7.48 ฿252

-8.56%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ALL 165

$2.02 ฿67.8

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

$1.43 ALL 117

$0.85 ฿28.52

68.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.8

$0.36 ฿11.97

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 ALL 239

$2.14 ฿71.9

36.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 ALL 329

$3.59 ฿121

12.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 175

$1.65 ฿55.5

30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ALL 89.7

$1.57 ฿52.7

-29.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ALL 174

$1.19 ฿40.05

78.99%

Eggs

$3.92 ALL 320

$1.94 ฿65.1

102.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 ALL 1,079

$16.19 ฿545

-18.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ALL 621

$2.99 ฿101

154.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.43 ALL 1,258

$10.94 ฿368

41.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ALL 144

$2.71 ฿91.2

-34.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 ALL 218

$1.17 ฿39.27

128.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.69 ฿56.8

17.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ALL 157

$1.60 ฿54.0

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$1.38 ฿46.56

-5.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ALL 105

$1.20 ฿40.47

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ALL 122

$0.67 ฿22.51

122.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 61.1

$0.56 ฿18.74

33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ALL 352

$4.64 ฿156

-6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 ALL 850

$17.62 ฿593

-40.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ALL 134

$1.86 ฿62.6

-11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ALL 168

$3.30 ฿111

-37.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.78

$0.88 ฿29.70

-44.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.62 ALL 1,519

$19.34 ฿651

-3.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ALL 292

$1.36 ฿45.92

163.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 ALL 252

$1.34 ฿45.00

129.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.31 ALL 1,412

$8.21 ฿276

110.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 ALL 170

$1.22 ฿41.20

71.31%

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

$39.4K ALL 3.2M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

84.65%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

55.47%

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

$108 ALL 8,832

$70.7 ฿2,378

53.26%

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

$17.62 ALL 1,437

$14.04 ฿472

25.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.27 ALL 1,490

$17.49 ฿589

4.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ALL 4,549

$42.15 ฿1,418

32.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.12 ALL 2,049

$6.88 ฿231

265.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ALL 786

$5.92 ฿199

62.67%

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

$161 ALL 13.1K

$309 ฿10.4K

-47.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,544 ALL 452.1K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-62.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 ALL 5,617

$55.8 ฿1,876

23.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 ALL 4,080

$26.11 ฿879

91.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,807

$83.0 ฿2,793

30.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ALL 10.7K

$70.5 ฿2,371

85.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 37.1K

$432 ฿14.5K

5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ALL 28.2K

$239 ฿8,040

44.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 ALL 49.2K

$822 ฿27.7K

-26.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ALL 35.4K

$512 ฿17.2K

-15.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,795 ALL 146.4K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-6.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,327 ALL 108.2K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-9.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

10.40%

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

Last update for Ballsh: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Ballsh versus $432 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Ballsh versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,816 per month in Ballsh and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% more in Ballsh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Ballsh and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Ballsh at $1,211. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ballsh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.