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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,636 per month in Bendigo vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,464 per month in Bendigo vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Bendigo vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bendigo costs about 89% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bendigo sits 22% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.42 A$27.06

$1.94 ฿63.5

901.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 A$82.0

$18.64 ฿609

215.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 A$13.23

$7.82 ฿255

21.36%

Cappuccino

$3.72 A$5.18

$1.95 ฿63.8

90.77%

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

$2.55 A$3.55

$0.85 ฿27.77

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.08

$0.35 ฿11.58

531.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 A$10.33

$2.13 ฿69.6

247.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 A$6.52

$3.73 ฿122

25.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 A$1.53

$1.71 ฿56.0

-35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 A$3.52

$1.63 ฿53.2

54.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 A$3.12

$1.14 ฿37.15

96.49%

Eggs

$4.31 A$6.00

$1.93 ฿63.1

123.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 A$12.18

$16.21 ฿530

-46.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 A$12.41

$3.12 ฿102

185.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 A$20.42

$10.90 ฿356

34.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.55

$2.75 ฿90.0

18.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 A$4.06

$1.21 ฿39.52

140.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.11

$1.62 ฿53.0

82.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 A$5.71

$1.59 ฿51.8

157.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.14

$1.40 ฿45.70

60.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 A$2.69

$1.17 ฿38.17

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.99

$0.66 ฿21.60

224.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.29

$0.53 ฿17.22

209.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.76 A$33.12

$4.69 ฿153

406.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.79 A$13.64

$18.66 ฿609

-47.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 A$6.57

$1.80 ฿58.8

161.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.07

$3.23 ฿106

56.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.29 A$5.98

$0.90 ฿29.26

376.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 A$75.3

$19.21 ฿628

181.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 A$4.86

$1.41 ฿45.91

147.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 A$1.86

$1.29 ฿42.12

3.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.96 A$18.06

$7.84 ฿256

65.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 A$1.55

$1.27 ฿41.58

-12.60%

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

$25.5K A$35.6K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

20.08%

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

$18.1K A$25.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-18.46%

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

$151 A$210

$69.1 ฿2,256

118.17%

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

$19.64 A$27.36

$14.08 ฿460

39.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.49 A$66.2

$18.00 ฿588

163.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 A$81.5

$41.06 ฿1,341

42.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.05 A$25.15

$6.96 ฿227

159.34%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 A$14.45

$5.92 ฿193

75.17%

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

$1,167 A$1,626

$299 ฿9,766

290.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$27.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

30.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 A$90.6

$54.7 ฿1,787

18.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 A$75.2

$26.77 ฿874

101.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$150

$85.0 ฿2,776

27.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$143

$70.6 ฿2,306

45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 A$892

$428 ฿14.0K

49.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 A$672

$237 ฿7,752

103.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 A$1,345

$801 ฿26.2K

20.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 A$933

$515 ฿16.8K

29.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,522 A$6,302

$1,975 ฿64.5K

129.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 A$5,541

$1,475 ฿48.2K

169.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,408 A$4,749

$617 ฿20.2K

452.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

23.80%

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

Last update for Bendigo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $640 in Bendigo 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.

Salaries run about 452% higher in Bendigo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Bendigo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 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

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

Yes – Bendigo is pricier by about 89%, 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 $2,455 per month in Bendigo 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Bendigo and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,636 in Bendigo and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Bendigo at $1,636. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bendigo 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, Bendigo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.