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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $787 in Binzhou versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,229 in Binzhou versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,671 in Binzhou versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Binzhou costs roughly 17% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Binzhou 43% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 ¥20.11

$2.08 ฿68.6

44.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.64 ¥118

$19.64 ฿646

-10.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 ¥30.65

$5.65 ฿186

-19.12%

Cappuccino

$2.69 ¥18.08

$1.81 ฿59.4

48.62%

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

$0.55 ¥3.66

$0.71 ฿23.45

-22.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.01

$0.32 ฿10.38

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.57

$2.24 ฿73.6

-49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 ¥17.86

$3.63 ฿119

-26.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ¥12.63

$1.96 ฿64.4

-4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ¥9.17

$1.50 ฿49.39

-8.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.83

$1.34 ฿43.93

-23.88%

Eggs

$1.30 ¥8.72

$2.26 ฿74.5

-42.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.92 ¥107

$16.26 ฿535

-2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 ¥29.46

$2.95 ฿97.1

48.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 ¥66.9

$9.94 ฿327

0.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.33

$2.57 ฿84.6

-45.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.66

$1.06 ฿34.73

7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ¥11.08

$1.61 ฿53.0

2.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.44

$1.52 ฿49.97

-17.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.76

$1.27 ฿41.77

-44.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.40

$1.07 ฿35.06

-11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 ¥6.28

$0.72 ฿23.68

30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.51 ฿16.72

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 ¥24.51

$4.19 ฿138

-12.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.46 ¥97.0

$17.87 ฿587

-19.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ¥7.13

$1.69 ฿55.7

-37.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$2.84 ฿93.3

-42.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.11

$0.93 ฿30.43

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 ¥132

$53.9 ฿1,771

-63.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ¥6.84

$1.23 ฿40.59

-17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.76

$0.58 ฿18.96

-29.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 ¥58.6

$2.42 ฿79.7

261.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.32

$1.41 ฿46.43

-12.06%

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

$19.3K ¥129.7K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

-9.89%

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

$16.6K ¥111.5K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-39.19%

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

$69.0 ¥463

$63.7 ฿2,093

8.34%

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

$6.93 ¥46.49

$12.85 ฿423

-46.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.91 ¥53.1

$20.22 ฿665

-60.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.49 ¥272

$38.74 ฿1,274

4.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 ¥102

$3.97 ฿130

282.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ¥39.96

$6.74 ฿222

-11.57%

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

$361 ¥2,422

$778 ฿25.6K

-53.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥118.5K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

20.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ¥343

$54.3 ฿1,785

-5.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.12 ¥323

$25.45 ฿837

89.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 ¥624

$94.3 ฿3,102

-1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥607

$73.4 ฿2,415

23.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 ¥1,954

$490 ฿16.1K

-40.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ¥1,228

$289 ฿9,512

-36.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 ¥4,091

$894 ฿29.4K

-31.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 ¥2,516

$517 ฿17.0K

-27.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,781 ¥18.7K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

42.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,722 ¥11.6K

$1,477 ฿48.6K

16.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 ¥3,768

$602 ฿19.8K

-6.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

5.57

-39.50%

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

Last update for Binzhou: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $291 in Binzhou and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 7% 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: $18.00 in Binzhou vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $240 per month, with Binzhou cheaper across the board.

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

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

Binzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $291 in Binzhou versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $361 in Binzhou versus $778 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $787 in Binzhou versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Binzhou but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Binzhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Binzhou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Binzhou 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 Binzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.