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: $995 in Bihac versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Bihac versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,939 in Bihac versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bihac is roughly 7% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bihac 27% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 BAM 11.85

$2.08 ฿69.2

234.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.74 BAM 50.7

$19.61 ฿652

51.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 BAM 10.16

$5.67 ฿188

5.11%

Cappuccino

$1.20 BAM 2.04

$1.81 ฿60.0

-33.70%

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

$1.16 BAM 1.97

$0.77 ฿25.52

50.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 BAM 1.49

$0.35 ฿11.47

148.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 BAM 2.49

$2.21 ฿73.5

-33.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 BAM 2.99

$3.79 ฿126

-53.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 BAM 2.28

$2.05 ฿68.0

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 BAM 1.79

$1.51 ฿50.3

-30.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 BAM 4.14

$1.40 ฿46.47

73.57%

Eggs

$2.97 BAM 5.07

$2.26 ฿75.0

31.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 BAM 17.24

$16.19 ฿538

-37.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 BAM 12.21

$2.90 ฿96.2

146.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 BAM 19.30

$9.42 ฿313

20.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 BAM 3.08

$2.68 ฿89.0

-32.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.96

$1.09 ฿36.20

59.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 BAM 3.99

$1.62 ฿53.7

44.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 BAM 3.43

$1.46 ฿48.51

37.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BAM 1.97

$1.28 ฿42.45

-9.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 BAM 2.47

$1.06 ฿35.14

36.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 BAM 1.55

$0.72 ฿23.83

26.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BAM 1.47

$0.53 ฿17.48

62.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 BAM 6.46

$4.23 ฿140

-10.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 BAM 13.51

$18.29 ฿608

-56.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 BAM 2.21

$1.63 ฿54.2

-20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 BAM 3.51

$2.90 ฿96.4

-28.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 BAM 2.49

$0.88 ฿29.17

65.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.85 BAM 59.4

$53.8 ฿1,786

-35.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 BAM 2.03

$1.17 ฿38.96

1.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 BAM 1.80

$0.58 ฿19.21

82.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.69 BAM 18.21

$2.39 ฿79.2

347.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 BAM 2.51

$1.45 ฿48.17

1.38%

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

$31.4K BAM 53.5K

$21.0K ฿698.0K

49.41%

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

$22.3K BAM 38.0K

$26.4K ฿877.8K

-15.74%

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

$208 BAM 355

$63.7 ฿2,114

226.82%

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

$18.78 BAM 32.00

$12.89 ฿428

45.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.98 BAM 37.46

$20.52 ฿682

7.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.50 BAM 57.1

$39.02 ฿1,296

-14.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.89 BAM 20.26

$3.92 ฿130

203.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.66 BAM 9.65

$6.58 ฿219

-13.98%

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

$147 BAM 251

$784 ฿26.0K

-81.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,943 BAM 6,721

$14.7K ฿487.4K

-73.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.56 BAM 50.4

$55.1 ฿1,831

-46.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.99 BAM 30.66

$24.74 ฿822

-27.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 BAM 171

$94.1 ฿3,127

6.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 BAM 199

$74.0 ฿2,457

57.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 BAM 379

$490 ฿16.3K

-54.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 BAM 349

$288 ฿9,574

-28.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 BAM 536

$891 ฿29.6K

-64.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 BAM 485

$521 ฿17.3K

-45.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,487 BAM 2,534

$1,974 ฿65.6K

-24.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 BAM 2,293

$1,444 ฿48.0K

-6.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$812 BAM 1,385

$602 ฿20.0K

35.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

5.57

-22.80%

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

Last update for Bihac: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Bihac and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 35% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $241, 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 7% in total monthly costs ($995 vs $932 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 35% 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 $490 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 $20.00 versus $30.00 in Bihac. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $995 per month in Bihac versus $932 in Chiang Mai – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $995 in Bihac, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bihac. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 7% less than in Bihac. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.