Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhairab Bazar and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhairab Bazar and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $352 per month in Bhairab Bazar vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $592 per month in Bhairab Bazar vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $831 per month in Bhairab Bazar vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bhairab Bazar is about 59% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bhairab Bazar and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bhairab Bazar 74% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 ৳205

$1.94 ฿63.6

-13.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.57 ৳1,788

$18.64 ฿609

-21.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 ৳909

$7.82 ฿256

-5.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 ৳722

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ৳510

Cappuccino

$1.68 ৳206

$1.95 ฿63.9

-13.85%

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

$0.39 ৳47.40

$0.85 ฿27.80

-54.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ৳16.72

$0.35 ฿11.60

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ৳91.4

$1.71 ฿56.0

-56.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ৳75.9

$1.63 ฿53.3

-61.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ৳79.0

$1.14 ฿37.18

-43.86%

Eggs

$1.21 ৳148

$1.93 ฿63.2

-37.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 ৳1,148

$16.21 ฿530

-42.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.60 ৳197

$3.12 ฿102

-48.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 ৳885

$10.90 ฿356

-33.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ৳270

$2.75 ฿90.1

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 ৳122

$1.21 ฿39.56

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ৳262

$1.62 ฿53.0

32.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 ৳97.3

$1.59 ฿51.9

-50.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 ৳54.1

$1.40 ฿45.75

-68.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 ৳108

$1.17 ฿38.20

-24.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ৳49.11

$0.66 ฿21.62

-39.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 ৳30.42

$0.53 ฿17.24

-52.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.61 ৳1,056

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ৳104

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ৳178

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ৳358

$4.69 ฿153

-37.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ৳27.00

$0.90 ฿29.28

-75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.29 ৳1,262

$19.21 ฿628

-46.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ৳105

$1.41 ฿45.96

-39.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ৳31.91

$1.29 ฿42.16

-79.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 ৳305

$7.84 ฿256

-68.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ৳128

$1.27 ฿41.62

-18.11%

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

$32.8K ৳4.0M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

54.34%

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

$34.0K ৳4.2M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

53.08%

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

$22.88 ৳2,807

$69.1 ฿2,258

-66.87%

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

$5.87 ৳721

$14.08 ฿460

-58.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ৳1,601

$18.00 ฿588

-27.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.34 ৳1,636

$41.06 ฿1,342

-67.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.70 ৳1,435

$6.96 ฿227

68.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.19 ৳391

$5.92 ฿193

-46.11%

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

$29.70 ৳3,644

$299 ฿9,775

-90.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,358 ৳166.6K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-90.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.31 ৳2,492

$54.7 ฿1,788

-62.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.40 ৳2,257

$26.77 ฿875

-31.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.5 ৳6,444

$85.0 ฿2,778

-38.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.09 ৳4,060

$70.6 ฿2,308

-53.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.1 ৳8,472

$428 ฿14.0K

-83.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$41.50 ৳5,091

$237 ฿7,759

-82.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$163 ৳20.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

-79.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.8 ৳12.0K

$515 ฿16.9K

-81.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$697 ৳85.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-64.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

133.40%

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

Last update for Bhairab Bazar: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $69.1 in Bhairab Bazar 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 $15.00 in Bhairab Bazar versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $116 vs $246 – making Bhairab Bazar 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

Bhairab Bazar vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 146%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $529 per month in Bhairab Bazar 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 Bhairab Bazar, 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 $15.00 in Bhairab Bazar 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 $352 in Bhairab Bazar and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $352 in Bhairab Bazar and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bhairab Bazar – 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 Bhairab Bazar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.