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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $723 in Brades versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,939 in Brades versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,155 in Brades versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Brades costs roughly 17% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brades 46% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 EC$49.12

$1.94 ฿63.5

837.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.80 EC$129

$18.64 ฿609

156.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 EC$20.36

$7.82 ฿255

-3.58%

Cappuccino

$6.45 EC$17.42

$1.95 ฿63.8

230.77%

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

$2.50 EC$6.75

$0.85 ฿27.77

194.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 EC$3.73

$0.35 ฿11.58

294.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 EC$6.92

$2.13 ฿69.6

20.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 EC$12.19

$3.73 ฿122

21.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.37 EC$9.10

$1.71 ฿56.0

97.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 EC$7.85

$1.63 ฿53.2

78.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

Eggs

$7.30 EC$19.71

$1.93 ฿63.1

278.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 EC$16.10

$16.21 ฿530

-63.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 EC$24.88

$3.12 ฿102

195.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.85 EC$64.4

$10.90 ฿356

118.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 EC$8.69

$2.75 ฿90.0

17.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 EC$12.29

$1.59 ฿51.8

186.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 EC$6.15

$1.17 ฿38.17

94.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.30 EC$14.31

$0.66 ฿21.60

703.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

Wine (Bottle)

$22.59 EC$61.0

$18.66 ฿609

21.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 EC$11.68

$3.23 ฿106

34.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.87 EC$5.05

$0.90 ฿29.26

107.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

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

$22.3K EC$60.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

4.69%

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

$16.6K EC$44.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-25.20%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

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

$40.93 EC$111

$14.08 ฿460

190.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 EC$148

$41.06 ฿1,341

33.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

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

$299 ฿9,766

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 EC$3,428

$801 ฿26.2K

58.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 EC$3,480

$515 ฿16.8K

150.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,307 EC$3,528

$617 ฿20.2K

111.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Brades: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Brades pays 112% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Brades vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai 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

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

Brades wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brades the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Brades pays 112% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $723 per month in Brades versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Chiang Mai pay roughly 40% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Brades gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Brades delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $723 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brades hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Brades 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 Brades 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.