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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $983 in Bihac versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,455 in Bihac versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,927 in Bihac versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bihac is roughly 14% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bihac 26% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 BAM 12.41

$1.96 ฿65.9

270.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.94 BAM 51.2

$18.35 ฿617

63.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 BAM 9.52

$7.48 ฿252

-25.53%

Cappuccino

$1.20 BAM 2.06

$2.02 ฿67.8

-40.59%

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

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$0.85 ฿28.52

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.52

$0.36 ฿11.97

147.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 BAM 2.56

$2.14 ฿71.9

-29.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 BAM 3.09

$3.59 ฿121

-49.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 BAM 2.36

$1.65 ฿55.5

-16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 BAM 1.79

$1.57 ฿52.7

-33.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.94

$1.19 ฿40.05

93.28%

Eggs

$2.80 BAM 4.80

$1.94 ฿65.1

44.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 BAM 17.25

$16.19 ฿545

-37.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 BAM 12.67

$2.99 ฿101

147.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 BAM 19.16

$10.94 ฿368

2.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 BAM 3.11

$2.71 ฿91.2

-32.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 BAM 2.89

$1.17 ฿39.27

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 BAM 3.27

$1.69 ฿56.8

13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 BAM 3.48

$1.60 ฿54.0

26.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.38 ฿46.56

-13.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 BAM 2.47

$1.20 ฿40.47

20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 BAM 1.65

$0.67 ฿22.51

43.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BAM 1.56

$0.56 ฿18.74

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BAM 6.15

$4.64 ฿156

-22.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 BAM 13.94

$17.62 ฿593

-53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.13

$1.86 ฿62.6

-32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$3.30 ฿111

-36.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 BAM 3.01

$0.88 ฿29.70

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 BAM 59.9

$19.34 ฿651

81.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.36 ฿45.92

-11.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 BAM 1.40

$1.34 ฿45.00

-38.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.75 BAM 18.39

$8.21 ฿276

30.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.53

$1.22 ฿41.20

21.31%

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

$23.6K BAM 40.4K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

10.57%

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

$25.9K BAM 44.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

14.91%

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

$205 BAM 350

$70.7 ฿2,378

189.37%

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

$18.94 BAM 32.40

$14.04 ฿472

34.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 BAM 37.46

$17.49 ฿589

25.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.93 BAM 51.2

$42.15 ฿1,418

-28.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.82 BAM 18.50

$6.88 ฿231

57.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 BAM 9.76

$5.92 ฿199

-3.55%

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

$146 BAM 250

$309 ฿10.4K

-52.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,926 BAM 5,005

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-80.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.42 BAM 50.3

$55.8 ฿1,876

-47.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.60 BAM 30.11

$26.11 ฿879

-32.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 BAM 170

$83.0 ฿2,793

19.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 BAM 201

$70.5 ฿2,371

67.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 BAM 381

$432 ฿14.5K

-48.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 BAM 359

$239 ฿8,040

-12.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 BAM 527

$822 ฿27.7K

-62.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 BAM 487

$512 ฿17.2K

-44.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,486 BAM 2,542

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-22.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,316 BAM 2,250

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-10.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 BAM 1,323

$579 ฿19.5K

33.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

-17.20%

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

Last update for Bihac: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Bihac and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 33% 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: $30.00 in Bihac vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $243, with Bihac cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Bihac and Chiang Mai differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($983 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Bihac, 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: $223 in Bihac 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 $30.00 in Bihac. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $983 per month in Bihac versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bihac 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 14% less than in Bihac. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.