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 $1,037 per month in Barlad vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Barlad vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,171 per month in Barlad vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Barlad costs about 10% 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 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 RON 48.06

$2.08 ฿68.5

411.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.71 RON 188

$19.64 ฿646

112.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 RON 33.88

$5.65 ฿186

32.74%

Cappuccino

$2.67 RON 12.06

$1.81 ฿59.3

47.51%

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

$2.04 RON 9.23

$0.71 ฿23.44

187.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 RON 7.57

$0.32 ฿10.38

421.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 RON 9.69

$2.24 ฿73.5

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 RON 11.64

$3.63 ฿119

-28.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.32

$1.96 ฿64.4

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$1.50 ฿49.38

-14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 RON 6.38

$1.34 ฿43.92

5.22%

Eggs

$3.10 RON 13.98

$2.26 ฿74.4

37.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 RON 33.47

$16.26 ฿534

-54.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 RON 29.44

$2.95 ฿97.1

121.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 RON 47.99

$9.94 ฿327

6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$2.57 ฿84.5

-50.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.54

$1.06 ฿34.72

36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 RON 6.23

$1.61 ฿53.0

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 RON 10.39

$1.52 ฿49.96

51.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$1.27 ฿41.76

-38.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.50

$1.07 ฿35.05

-27.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 RON 3.85

$0.72 ฿23.67

18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.23

$0.51 ฿16.72

84.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 RON 31.00

$4.19 ฿138

63.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 RON 28.71

$17.87 ฿587

-64.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$1.69 ฿55.7

-25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$2.84 ฿93.2

-46.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 RON 2.37

$0.93 ฿30.42

-44.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.51 RON 97.2

$53.9 ฿1,770

-60.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 RON 3.40

$1.23 ฿40.58

-39.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.35

$0.58 ฿18.96

27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.04 RON 31.82

$2.42 ฿79.7

190.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.30

$1.41 ฿46.42

30.50%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

33.12%

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

$29.1K RON 131.6K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

6.56%

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

$165 RON 743

$63.7 ฿2,093

158.36%

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

$9.46 RON 42.73

$12.85 ฿423

-26.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.15 RON 41.34

$20.22 ฿665

-54.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 RON 166

$38.74 ฿1,274

-5.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 RON 102

$3.97 ฿130

469.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 RON 32.44

$6.74 ฿221

6.53%

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

$444 RON 2,008

$778 ฿25.6K

-42.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,345 RON 28.7K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-56.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 RON 280

$54.3 ฿1,785

14.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.63 RON 193

$25.45 ฿836

67.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 RON 388

$94.3 ฿3,101

-8.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 RON 347

$73.4 ฿2,414

4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 RON 1,600

$490 ฿16.1K

-27.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 RON 1,483

$289 ฿9,510

13.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 RON 2,753

$894 ฿29.4K

-31.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 RON 2,033

$517 ฿17.0K

-12.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,862 RON 8,414

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-4.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,415 RON 6,393

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-4.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

5.57

25.13%

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

Last update for Barlad: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Barlad versus $490 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 $42.00 in Barlad versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Barlad vs $240 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: $1,037 in Barlad, $947 in Chiang Mai – roughly 10% apart. Barlad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Barlad and $1,421 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 150% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $444 per month in Barlad and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Barlad at $1,037. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barlad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $947 in Chiang Mai to $1,037 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.