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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in Birjand vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $836 per month in Birjand vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,143 per month in Birjand vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Birjand is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Birjand and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Birjand 61% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 $3.96

$1.94 ฿63.5

104.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.93 $16.93

$18.64 ฿609

-9.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 $4.60

$7.82 ฿255

-41.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

Cappuccino

$1.16 $1.16

$1.95 ฿63.8

-40.51%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$0.85 ฿27.77

-49.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.35 ฿11.58

168.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.71 ฿56.0

-63.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.63 ฿53.2

-68.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.14 ฿37.15

67.54%

Eggs

$1.15 $1.15

$1.93 ฿63.1

-40.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$16.21 ฿530

-78.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.12 ฿102

5.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.90 ฿356

-7.34%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.75 ฿90.0

-68.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.21 ฿39.52

13.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.62 ฿53.0

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 $0.58

$1.59 ฿51.8

-63.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.40 ฿45.70

-62.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.17 ฿38.17

-58.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 $0.60

$0.66 ฿21.60

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 $0.23

$0.53 ฿17.22

-56.60%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.54 $0.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 $0.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 $2.18

$4.69 ฿153

-53.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.90 ฿29.26

-78.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.81 $9.81

$19.21 ฿628

-48.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 $0.34

$1.41 ฿45.91

-75.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 $0.27

$1.29 ฿42.12

-79.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$7.84 ฿256

-75.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.27 ฿41.58

-43.31%

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

$72.7K $72.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

241.56%

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

$54.6K $54.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

145.74%

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

$15.45 $15.45

$69.1 ฿2,256

-77.63%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$14.08 ฿460

-85.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.73 $5.73

$18.00 ฿588

-68.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.75 $15.75

$41.06 ฿1,341

-61.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.67 $12.67

$6.96 ฿227

82.04%

Cinema Ticket

$1.47 $1.47

$5.92 ฿193

-75.17%

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

$114 $114

$299 ฿9,766

-61.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,000 $2,000

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-86.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.25 $22.25

$54.7 ฿1,787

-59.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.11 $25.11

$26.77 ฿874

-6.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$85.0 ฿2,776

31.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 $69.3

$70.6 ฿2,306

-1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 $282

$428 ฿14.0K

-34.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 $200

$237 ฿7,752

-15.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 $630

$801 ฿26.2K

-21.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 $315

$515 ฿16.8K

-38.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,044 $1,044

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-47.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 $646

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-56.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.24

344.80%

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

Last update for Birjand: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Birjand 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 $17.00 in Birjand versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $107 vs $246 – making Birjand the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Monthly costs with rent: $528 in Birjand, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 64% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Birjand 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 Birjand, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 130% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Birjand and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $528 in Birjand and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $528 in Birjand to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Birjand. 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.