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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,469 in Bayamo versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Bayamo versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,640 in Bayamo versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bayamo is roughly 71% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayamo is 10% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.19 CUP 76.4

$1.96 ฿65.7

62.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 CUP 1,222

$18.35 ฿616

177.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 CUP 168

$7.48 ฿251

-6.55%

Cappuccino

$3.32 CUP 79.8

$2.02 ฿67.7

64.36%

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

$1.27 CUP 30.46

$0.85 ฿28.45

49.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 CUP 27.09

$0.36 ฿11.94

213.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 CUP 47.30

$2.14 ฿71.7

-7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CUP 42.95

$3.59 ฿121

-50.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 CUP 72.4

$1.65 ฿55.4

83.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 CUP 23.71

$1.57 ฿52.6

-36.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 CUP 73.4

$1.19 ฿39.95

157.14%

Eggs

$3.52 CUP 84.5

$1.94 ฿65.0

81.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 CUP 145

$16.19 ฿544

-62.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 CUP 148

$2.99 ฿100

106.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.96 CUP 287

$10.94 ฿367

9.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 CUP 122

$2.71 ฿91.0

87.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CUP 29.64

$1.17 ฿39.18

5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CUP 36.88

$1.69 ฿56.6

-8.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CUP 35.11

$1.60 ฿53.9

-8.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 CUP 47.35

$1.38 ฿46.45

42.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CUP 70.9

$1.20 ฿40.38

145.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 CUP 24.62

$0.67 ฿22.46

53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CUP 26.97

$0.56 ฿18.70

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 CUP 96.6

$4.64 ฿156

-13.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 CUP 242

$17.62 ฿591

-42.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CUP 47.56

$1.86 ฿62.4

6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CUP 47.26

$3.30 ฿111

-40.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 CUP 5.19

$0.88 ฿29.63

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.20 CUP 845

$19.34 ฿649

82.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 CUP 53.8

$1.36 ฿45.82

64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 CUP 10.05

$1.34 ฿44.90

-68.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.14 CUP 483

$8.21 ฿276

145.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CUP 29.43

$1.22 ฿41.11

0.82%

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

$74.2K CUP 1.8M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

247.63%

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

$90.2K CUP 2.2M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

300.52%

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

$29.43 CUP 706

$70.7 ฿2,372

-58.36%

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

$10.08 CUP 242

$14.04 ฿471

-28.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$255 CUP 6,110

$17.49 ฿587

1355.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.74 CUP 978

$42.15 ฿1,415

-3.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.91 CUP 238

$6.88 ฿231

44.04%

Cinema Ticket

$1.01 CUP 24.26

$5.92 ฿199

-82.94%

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

$96.5 CUP 2,316

$309 ฿10.4K

-68.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K CUP 366.7K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

2.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.36 CUP 489

$55.8 ฿1,872

-63.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.23 CUP 605

$26.11 ฿877

-3.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 CUP 1,669

$83.0 ฿2,787

-16.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 CUP 1,342

$70.5 ฿2,365

-20.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 CUP 10.1K

$432 ฿14.5K

-2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 CUP 16.1K

$239 ฿8,020

180.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 CUP 14.0K

$822 ฿27.6K

-28.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$968 CUP 23.2K

$512 ฿17.2K

88.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$393 CUP 9,421

$1,915 ฿64.3K

-79.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$348 CUP 8,356

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-76.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.80 CUP 475

$579 ฿19.4K

-96.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Bayamo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Bayamo and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 2826% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Bayamo vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2826% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $422 in Bayamo versus $432 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 $18.00 versus $51.0 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,469 per month in Bayamo versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,469 in Bayamo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bayamo. 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 Bayamo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bayamo 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 71% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.