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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $710 in Baoji versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,103 in Baoji versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,497 in Baoji versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Baoji costs roughly 25% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baoji 49% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.69 ¥18.04

$2.10 ฿69.3

28.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.84 ¥79.3

$19.84 ฿656

-40.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.40 ¥29.46

$5.79 ฿191

-24.01%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ¥14.08

$1.83 ฿60.4

14.75%

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

$0.29 ¥1.91

$0.78 ฿25.61

-62.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.31 ฿10.37

-12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ¥10.20

$2.34 ฿77.2

-35.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.14

$3.70 ฿122

-59.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ¥9.64

$2.03 ฿67.1

-29.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.30

$1.60 ฿52.7

5.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.06

$1.42 ฿46.75

-36.62%

Eggs

$0.93 ¥6.24

$2.18 ฿71.9

-57.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 ¥78.2

$15.91 ฿526

-26.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ¥24.38

$3.07 ฿102

18.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 ¥69.4

$9.87 ฿326

4.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.11

$2.63 ฿86.8

-36.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.36

$1.10 ฿36.19

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.35

$1.63 ฿53.8

-23.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 ¥8.87

$1.53 ฿50.6

-13.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 ¥4.29

$1.24 ฿41.13

-48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$1.13 ฿37.37

-36.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.60

$0.74 ฿24.38

-27.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.50 ฿16.48

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ¥22.47

$4.28 ฿141

-21.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 ¥56.4

$17.97 ฿594

-53.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥4.91

$1.70 ฿56.1

-57.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$2.90 ฿95.7

-44.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$0.94 ฿31.13

-67.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 ¥121

$55.3 ฿1,827

-67.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.58

$1.23 ฿40.76

4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$0.53 ฿17.66

-41.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥30.51

$2.40 ฿79.3

90.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.45

$1.44 ฿47.55

-12.50%

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

$19.0K ¥127.4K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

-10.28%

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

$17.8K ¥119.4K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-34.73%

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

$62.1 ¥416

$64.9 ฿2,145

-4.34%

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

$6.10 ¥40.83

$13.35 ฿441

-54.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.69 ¥71.6

$20.83 ฿688

-48.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 ¥273

$40.42 ฿1,336

0.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.04 ¥101

$3.95 ฿131

280.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 ¥35.88

$6.71 ฿222

-20.12%

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

$685 ¥4,585

$787 ฿26.0K

-13.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥118.3K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

16.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.38 ¥257

$56.2 ฿1,858

-31.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.32 ¥250

$24.95 ฿824

49.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 ¥492

$92.7 ฿3,063

-20.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 ¥564

$75.1 ฿2,482

12.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 ¥1,936

$484 ฿16.0K

-40.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ¥1,235

$287 ฿9,491

-35.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 ¥4,078

$910 ฿30.1K

-33.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 ¥2,521

$531 ฿17.5K

-29.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,235 ¥21.7K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

63.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,929 ¥12.9K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

32.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

5.57

-39.86%

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

Last update for Baoji: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $289 in Baoji and $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Baoji vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $242 per month, with Baoji 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

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

Baoji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,065 in Baoji and $1,426 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: $289 in Baoji versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baoji runs roughly 207% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $685 in Baoji versus $787 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $710 in Baoji versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baoji but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Baoji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baoji 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, Baoji 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 Baoji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.