Cost of Living Comparison Between Binan City and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Binan City and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $732 per month in Binan City vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,119 per month in Binan City vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,505 per month in Binan City vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Binan City is about 23% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Binan City and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Binan City 47% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 ₱255

$2.10 ฿69.4

93.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.51 ₱1,035

$19.84 ฿656

-16.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.75 ₱173

$5.79 ฿192

-52.50%

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₱111

$1.83 ฿60.5

-3.28%

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

$0.56 ₱34.96

$0.78 ฿25.63

-28.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.54

$0.31 ฿10.38

9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₱61.2

$2.34 ฿77.3

-58.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₱99.1

$3.70 ฿122

-57.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$2.03 ฿67.1

-19.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.5

$1.60 ฿52.8

-26.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.1

$1.42 ฿46.80

-28.17%

Eggs

$2.11 ₱132

$2.18 ฿72.0

-3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.27 ₱331

$15.91 ฿526

-66.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₱218

$3.07 ฿102

13.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.94 ₱435

$9.87 ฿326

-29.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₱144

$2.63 ฿86.9

-12.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱100

$1.10 ฿36.23

45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$1.63 ฿53.9

43.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ₱65.1

$1.53 ฿50.6

-32.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 ₱107

$1.24 ฿41.16

37.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.13 ฿37.40

54.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₱39.40

$0.74 ฿24.41

-14.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.07

$0.50 ฿16.50

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱163

$4.28 ฿142

-39.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 ₱515

$17.97 ฿594

-54.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.0

$1.70 ฿56.2

-43.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱125

$2.90 ฿95.8

-31.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱16.98

$0.94 ฿31.15

-71.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.26 ₱706

$55.3 ฿1,828

-79.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 ₱39.47

$1.23 ฿40.80

-48.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$0.53 ฿17.67

-56.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$2.40 ฿79.4

-22.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱75.8

$1.44 ฿47.60

-15.97%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$21.2K ฿700.9K

2.29%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$27.3K ฿903.0K

-28.27%

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

$141 ₱8,867

$64.9 ฿2,147

117.79%

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

$16.06 ₱1,007

$13.35 ฿442

20.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.54 ₱1,977

$20.83 ฿689

51.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,027

$40.42 ฿1,337

-20.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.85 ₱304

$3.95 ฿131

22.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 ₱328

$6.71 ฿222

-22.06%

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

$134 ₱8,426

$787 ฿26.0K

-82.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱463.4K

$15.1K ฿500.1K

-51.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.85 ₱1,809

$56.2 ฿1,859

-48.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.72 ₱1,236

$24.95 ฿825

-20.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ₱4,528

$92.7 ฿3,066

-22.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ₱3,562

$75.1 ฿2,484

-24.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.5K

$484 ฿16.0K

-45.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 ₱10.7K

$287 ฿9,500

-40.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ₱30.8K

$910 ฿30.1K

-46.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₱22.1K

$531 ฿17.5K

-33.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₱160.5K

$1,980 ฿65.5K

29.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,050 ₱65.8K

$1,451 ฿48.0K

-27.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

5.57

21.18%

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

Last update for Binan City: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Binan City versus $484 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 $17.00 in Binan City versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $242 – making Binan City 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

Binan City vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,098 per month in Binan City and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Binan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $134 per month in Binan City and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Binan City, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Binan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Binan City – 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 Binan City. 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.