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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Barlad vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,576 per month in Barlad vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Barlad vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Barlad costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Barlad and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Barlad 24% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.70 RON 42.10

$1.95 ฿62.8

397.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.51 RON 198

$18.43 ฿594

146.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 RON 34.64

$7.50 ฿241

6.40%

Cappuccino

$2.64 RON 11.47

$1.93 ฿62.3

36.79%

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

$2.00 RON 8.70

$0.78 ฿25.08

156.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 7.63

$0.32 ฿10.42

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 RON 9.87

$2.15 ฿69.2

5.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 RON 11.88

$3.71 ฿120

-26.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.67

$1.71 ฿55.2

-9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 RON 5.33

$1.56 ฿50.3

-21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.53

$1.18 ฿38.06

46.61%

Eggs

$3.39 RON 14.70

$1.98 ฿63.9

71.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 RON 37.63

$16.04 ฿517

-45.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 RON 29.33

$3.17 ฿102

113.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 RON 44.27

$10.94 ฿353

-6.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 4.92

$2.63 ฿84.7

-57.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.69

$1.17 ฿37.61

31.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 6.96

$1.65 ฿53.0

-3.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.36

$1.54 ฿49.51

25.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.59

$1.38 ฿44.34

-39.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.21

$1.17 ฿37.54

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.77

$0.66 ฿21.25

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.33

$0.51 ฿16.55

50.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 25.01

$4.52 ฿146

27.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 RON 34.26

$18.32 ฿590

-56.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.63

$1.80 ฿57.9

-40.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.40

$3.18 ฿102

-46.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.04

$0.90 ฿28.97

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.64 RON 85.2

$19.00 ฿612

3.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.09

$1.41 ฿45.50

-49.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 RON 3.19

$1.31 ฿42.15

-44.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 29.57

$8.09 ฿261

-15.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.65

$1.28 ฿41.08

19.53%

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

$28.3K RON 122.8K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

32.91%

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

$27.2K RON 118.2K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

25.45%

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

$152 RON 659

$69.2 ฿2,230

119.39%

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

$7.89 RON 34.24

$13.97 ฿450

-43.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.04 RON 39.25

$17.95 ฿578

-49.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 RON 180

$42.31 ฿1,363

-2.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.08 RON 82.8

$6.66 ฿214

186.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 RON 29.81

$5.92 ฿191

16.05%

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

$424 RON 1,840

$299 ฿9,640

41.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,014 RON 30.4K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-52.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 RON 292

$56.2 ฿1,810

19.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.54 RON 167

$26.94 ฿868

43.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 RON 327

$84.9 ฿2,735

-11.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 RON 407

$71.8 ฿2,314

30.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 RON 1,705

$435 ฿14.0K

-9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,280

$240 ฿7,727

22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 RON 2,510

$798 ฿25.7K

-27.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 1,933

$498 ฿16.1K

-10.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,024 RON 8,782

$1,995 ฿64.3K

1.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 RON 6,737

$1,532 ฿49.4K

1.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

31.20%

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

Last update for Barlad: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Barlad versus $435 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 $46 in Barlad versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Barlad vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Barlad 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,024 in Barlad, $845 in Chiang Mai – roughly 21% apart. Barlad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,535 per month in Barlad and $1,267 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.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $424 per month in Barlad and $299 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 $1,024 in Barlad and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $845 in Chiang Mai to $1,024 in Barlad. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Barlad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.