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 $1,025 per month in Barlad vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Barlad vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,150 per month in Barlad vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Barlad costs about 18% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.37 RON 42.67

$1.94 ฿63.8

382.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.93 RON 214

$18.64 ฿611

151.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.66

$7.82 ฿256

0.13%

Cappuccino

$2.70 RON 12.30

$1.95 ฿64.1

38.46%

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

$1.99 RON 9.04

$0.85 ฿27.90

134.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.94

$0.35 ฿11.64

397.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.72

$2.13 ฿69.9

10.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 RON 12.32

$3.73 ฿122

-27.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.74

$1.71 ฿56.2

-13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RON 5.41

$1.63 ฿53.4

-26.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.89

$1.14 ฿37.32

51.75%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.26

$1.93 ฿63.4

73.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 RON 38.19

$16.21 ฿532

-48.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 RON 31.27

$3.12 ฿102

120.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.50 RON 47.82

$10.90 ฿357

-3.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.15

$2.75 ฿90.4

-58.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.21 ฿39.70

32.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.32

$1.62 ฿53.2

-0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.77

$1.59 ฿52.1

21.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.84

$1.40 ฿45.91

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.19

$1.17 ฿38.34

-21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.08

$0.66 ฿21.70

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.72

$0.53 ฿17.30

54.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 RON 26.60

$4.69 ฿154

24.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 RON 26.89

$18.66 ฿612

-68.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$1.80 ฿59.0

-42.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.70

$3.23 ฿106

-47.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.90 ฿29.39

-21.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 RON 89.8

$19.21 ฿630

2.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.48

$1.41 ฿46.13

-46.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.35

$1.29 ฿42.31

-42.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.09 RON 32.26

$7.84 ฿257

-9.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.00

$1.27 ฿41.77

21.26%

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

$28.3K RON 128.8K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

33.00%

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

$26.9K RON 122.5K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

21.17%

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

$147 RON 668

$69.1 ฿2,266

112.47%

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

$7.88 RON 35.86

$14.08 ฿462

-44.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.12 RON 41.52

$18.00 ฿591

-49.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.89 RON 191

$41.06 ฿1,347

2.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 RON 86.5

$6.96 ฿228

172.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 RON 32.20

$5.92 ฿194

19.43%

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

$433 RON 1,971

$299 ฿9,811

44.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,944 RON 31.6K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-53.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 309

$54.7 ฿1,795

24.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.52 RON 175

$26.77 ฿878

43.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 RON 343

$85.0 ฿2,788

-11.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 RON 415

$70.6 ฿2,316

29.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 RON 1,802

$428 ฿14.0K

-7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,327

$237 ฿7,787

22.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 RON 2,665

$801 ฿26.3K

-26.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,018

$515 ฿16.9K

-14.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,967 RON 8,954

$1,975 ฿64.8K

-0.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 RON 5,566

$1,475 ฿48.4K

-17.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Barlad versus $428 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 $47.00 in Barlad versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Barlad vs $246 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: $1,025 in Barlad, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 18% apart. Barlad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,537 per month in Barlad and $1,300 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 $433 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 $1,025 in Barlad and $866 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 $866 in Chiang Mai to $1,025 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.