Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrigada and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $2,725 in Barrigada, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barrigada outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Barrigada

🇬🇺 Guam

$2,725

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barrigada and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barrigada and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,725 in Barrigada versus $938 in Chiang Mai.

Barrigada $2,725
Chiang Mai $938

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,506 in Barrigada versus $1,426 in Chiang Mai.

Barrigada $3,506
Chiang Mai $1,426

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,286 in Barrigada versus $1,914 in Chiang Mai.

Barrigada $4,286
Chiang Mai $1,914

Living in Barrigada is roughly 190% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barrigada is 102% above, Chiang Mai is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.4 $98.4

$19.18 ฿641

412.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.33 ฿145

65.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.45 ฿48.32

2.76%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$405 $405

$62.3 ฿2,083

549.64%

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

$99.1 $99.1

$12.27 ฿410

707.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.5 $81.5

$19.97 ฿668

308.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.1 $80.1

$37.91 ฿1,267

111.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$12.88 $12.88

$6.71 ฿224

91.95%

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

$714 $714

$797 ฿26.6K

-10.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,416 $2,416

$464 ฿15.5K

420.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 $2,034

$305 ฿10.2K

567.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,247 $3,247

$915 ฿30.6K

254.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,898 $2,898

$552 ฿18.5K

424.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,883 $4,883

$595 ฿19.9K

720.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Barrigada: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Barrigada

–

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Groceries & Markets

Barrigada

–

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Barrigada

–

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Barrigada

–

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Eating Out

Barrigada

–

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Getting Around

Barrigada

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Barrigada

–

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,416 in Barrigada and $464 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 720% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $98.0 in Barrigada vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for two.

Good to know

🇬🇺 Barrigada

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

23:57 11:57 PM

20:57 8:57 PM

3 h behind Barrigada

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,875

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

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Barrigada Chiang Mai 4,920 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Barrigada
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in utilities and leisure. The 190% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 720% higher in Barrigada, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,416 in Barrigada versus $464 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $98.0 in Barrigada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $714 in Barrigada versus $797 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $938 in Chiang Mai versus $2,725 in Barrigada, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Barrigada. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barrigada, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barrigada 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 190% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.