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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,232 per month in Bathurst vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Bathurst vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,317 per month in Bathurst vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bathurst costs about 158% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bathurst sits 67% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.00 A$22.29

$1.94 ฿63.5

724.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.6 A$107

$18.64 ฿609

311.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 A$13.33

$7.82 ฿255

22.25%

Cappuccino

$3.49 A$4.86

$1.95 ฿63.8

78.97%

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

$2.60 A$3.62

$0.85 ฿27.77

205.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$0.35 ฿11.58

531.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.28

$2.13 ฿69.6

212.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 A$10.14

$3.73 ฿122

95.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 A$2.23

$1.71 ฿56.0

-6.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 A$3.25

$1.63 ฿53.2

42.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.75

$1.14 ฿37.15

72.81%

Eggs

$4.28 A$5.96

$1.93 ฿63.1

121.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 A$11.99

$16.21 ฿530

-46.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 A$11.63

$3.12 ฿102

167.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.15

$10.90 ฿356

26.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.45

$2.75 ฿90.0

16.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.97

$1.21 ฿39.52

135.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.00

$1.62 ฿53.0

77.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 A$5.66

$1.59 ฿51.8

155.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 A$3.36

$1.40 ฿45.70

72.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 A$2.91

$1.17 ฿38.17

78.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 A$2.95

$0.66 ฿21.60

219.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.12

$0.53 ฿17.22

186.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.37 A$43.72

$4.69 ฿153

568.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 A$19.90

$18.66 ฿609

-23.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.60 A$6.41

$1.80 ฿58.8

155.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 A$7.52

$3.23 ฿106

67.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.56

$0.90 ฿29.26

184.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 A$91.8

$19.21 ฿628

242.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 A$5.02

$1.41 ฿45.91

155.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.23

$1.29 ฿42.12

24.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.16 A$47.61

$7.84 ฿256

335.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.65

$1.27 ฿41.58

-6.30%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

36.70%

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

$22.3K A$31.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

0.61%

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

$184 A$256

$69.1 ฿2,256

166.16%

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

$27.62 A$38.49

$14.08 ฿460

96.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 A$79.2

$18.00 ฿588

215.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 A$68.3

$41.06 ฿1,341

19.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.70 A$21.87

$6.96 ฿227

125.57%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 A$18.30

$5.92 ฿193

121.79%

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

$1,606 A$2,238

$299 ฿9,766

437.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.5K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-20.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 A$95.1

$54.7 ฿1,787

24.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 A$71.8

$26.77 ฿874

92.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 A$139

$85.0 ฿2,776

17.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$147

$70.6 ฿2,306

49.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 A$1,782

$428 ฿14.0K

198.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 A$1,490

$237 ฿7,752

350.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,001 A$2,789

$801 ฿26.2K

149.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,657 A$2,309

$515 ฿16.8K

221.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,976 A$9,722

$1,975 ฿64.5K

253.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,704 A$6,555

$1,475 ฿48.2K

218.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

26.80%

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

Last update for Bathurst: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,279 in Bathurst 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 $77.0 in Bathurst versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Bathurst is pricier by about 158%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,347 per month in Bathurst 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 243% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,606 per month in Bathurst and $299 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 $866, than in Bathurst at $2,232. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bathurst it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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