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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,070 per month in Blackburn vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,079 per month in Blackburn vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,088 per month in Blackburn vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Blackburn costs about 139% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Blackburn sits 54% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 £12.30

$1.94 ฿63.5

751.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 £43.64

$18.64 ฿609

214.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 £6.36

$7.82 ฿255

9.21%

Cappuccino

$4.07 £3.03

$1.95 ฿63.8

108.72%

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

$2.31 £1.72

$0.85 ฿27.77

171.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 £1.07

$0.35 ฿11.58

311.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 £3.64

$2.13 ฿69.6

129.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 £4.09

$3.73 ฿122

47.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 £1.16

$1.71 ฿56.0

-9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 £1.24

$1.63 ฿53.2

1.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 £1.03

$1.14 ฿37.15

21.05%

Eggs

$3.13 £2.33

$1.93 ฿63.1

62.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 £7.94

$16.21 ฿530

-34.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 £6.03

$3.12 ฿102

159.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.29 £12.88

$10.90 ฿356

58.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 £1.19

$2.75 ฿90.0

-41.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 £1.24

$1.21 ฿39.52

37.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 £1.78

$1.62 ฿53.0

47.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 £2.77

$1.59 ฿51.8

133.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 £1.02

$1.40 ฿45.70

-2.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 £1.30

$1.17 ฿38.17

48.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 £0.37

$0.66 ฿21.60

-24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 £1.40

$0.53 ฿17.22

254.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.30 £13.63

$4.69 ฿153

290.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 £6.96

$18.66 ฿609

-49.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 £1.67

$1.80 ฿58.8

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 £1.38

$3.23 ฿106

-42.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 £2.01

$0.90 ฿29.26

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.42 £36.07

$19.21 ฿628

152.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 £2.00

$1.41 ฿45.91

90.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 £1.08

$1.29 ฿42.12

12.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.33 £12.17

$7.84 ฿256

108.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.27 ฿41.58

52.76%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

82.99%

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

$41.9K £31.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

88.57%

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

$290 £216

$69.1 ฿2,256

320.31%

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

$17.42 £12.98

$14.08 ฿460

23.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.08 £22.41

$18.00 ฿588

67.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.44 £30.13

$41.06 ฿1,341

-1.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.28 £9.15

$6.96 ฿227

76.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 £5.09

$5.92 ฿193

15.37%

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

$1,095 £816

$299 ฿9,766

266.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,923 £5,158

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-53.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 £51.0

$54.7 ฿1,787

25.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 £32.50

$26.77 ฿874

62.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 £59.8

$85.0 ฿2,776

-5.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 £52.1

$70.6 ฿2,306

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 £896

$428 ฿14.0K

181.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$964 £718

$237 ฿7,752

306.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,878 £1,399

$801 ฿26.2K

134.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 £1,280

$515 ฿16.8K

233.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,733 £5,016

$1,975 ฿64.5K

240.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,706 £3,506

$1,475 ฿48.2K

219.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,899 £1,415

$617 ฿20.2K

207.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.6

12.00%

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

Last update for Blackburn: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,203 in Blackburn 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.

Salaries run about 208% higher in Blackburn, 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 $59.0 in Blackburn versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $246 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,070 in Blackburn, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 139% apart. Blackburn costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,105 per month in Blackburn 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 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 $2,070 in Blackburn and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 152% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Blackburn at $2,070. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Blackburn 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 $866 in Chiang Mai to $2,070 in Blackburn. 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, Blackburn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.