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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,789 per month in Bissen vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,225 per month in Bissen vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,661 per month in Bissen vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bissen costs about 227% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bissen sits 108% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.89 €19.60

$1.96 ฿64.0

1067.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 €70.1

$18.81 ฿615

335.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.92 €12.77

$7.92 ฿259

88.38%

Cappuccino

$4.60 €3.93

$1.91 ฿62.6

140.84%

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

$2.27 €1.94

$0.84 ฿27.41

170.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.93

$0.35 ฿11.51

542.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.86

$2.21 ฿72.1

104.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 €3.88

$3.80 ฿124

19.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.64 ฿53.5

3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 €2.90

$1.62 ฿53.1

109.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.56

$1.18 ฿38.62

153.39%

Eggs

$5.08 €4.35

$2.01 ฿65.8

152.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.40 €16.61

$15.89 ฿520

22.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.41 €13.19

$3.01 ฿98.5

411.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 €21.13

$10.77 ฿352

129.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 €2.66

$2.61 ฿85.5

19.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.11

$1.22 ฿39.88

101.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 €2.98

$1.70 ฿55.7

105.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 €3.77

$1.58 ฿51.5

178.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 €2.39

$1.32 ฿43.14

112.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 €2.24

$1.17 ฿38.23

123.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 €1.76

$0.67 ฿21.98

205.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.85

$0.56 ฿18.32

76.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 €6.31

$4.53 ฿148

62.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 €8.01

$18.20 ฿595

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.05

$3.23 ฿106

-25.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 €4.98

$1.35 ฿44.20

331.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.68 €3.15

$1.35 ฿44.05

172.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.28 €39.61

$8.25 ฿270

460.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.27 ฿41.64

19.69%

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

$35.0K €29.9K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

65.21%

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

$33.2K €28.4K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

47.56%

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

$283 €242

$70.2 ฿2,294

302.79%

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

$27.90 €23.88

$13.77 ฿450

102.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.47 €25.23

$17.60 ฿575

67.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.5 €73.2

$41.57 ฿1,360

105.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 €15.08

$5.78 ฿189

204.84%

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

$1,474 €1,262

$306 ฿10.0K

381.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K €16.5K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

30.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.6 €82.7

$54.4 ฿1,778

77.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 €30.00

$26.14 ฿855

34.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €93.7

$84.5 ฿2,764

29.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €116

$69.4 ฿2,270

95.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 €2,216

$424 ฿13.9K

511.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 €1,196

$238 ฿7,788

486.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,536 €3,026

$825 ฿27.0K

328.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,551 €2,184

$515 ฿16.8K

395.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K €8,891

$2,049 ฿67.0K

406.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,631 €6,532

$1,523 ฿49.8K

401.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,280 €2,808

$635 ฿20.8K

416.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.8

-44.00%

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

Last update for Bissen: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,589 in Bissen versus $424 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.

Salaries run about 416% higher in Bissen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Bissen versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $425 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,789 in Bissen, $852 in Chiang Mai – roughly 227% apart. Bissen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,183 per month in Bissen and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,789 in Bissen and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,474 per month in Bissen and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Bissen at $2,789. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bissen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $852 in Chiang Mai to $2,789 in Bissen. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bissen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.