Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ba

For one person, living is cheaper in Ba: $93.6 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

🇫🇯 Fiji

$93.6

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Ba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Ba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $94 in Ba.

Chiang Mai $936
Ba $94

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $209 in Ba.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Ba $209

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $325 in Ba.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Ba $325

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 900% more expensive than in Ba.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ba 93% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$2.04 FJD 4.56

9.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$30.40 FJD 67.9

-37.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$6.01 FJD 13.42

-7.65%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.99 FJD 4.43

-16.08%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.98 FJD 2.18

-34.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.99 FJD 2.20

-68.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$4.12 FJD 9.19

-42.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.47 FJD 7.74

5.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$399 FJD 891

47.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

39.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ba: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

–

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 48% 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 at a mid-range restaurant: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $30 in Ba for two.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇫🇯 Ba

🕒 Local time

20:50 8:50 PM

01:50 1:50 AM

5 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

15,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Fijian Dollar FJD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 FJD = 0.448 USD

1 FJD = 0.401 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FJD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.23 FJD (1 FJD = 0.448 USD). 1 EUR = 2.49 FJD (1 FJD = 0.401 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Ba 9,500 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $94 in Ba, so Ba is about 90% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19 versus $30 in Ba. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $94 in Ba – Ba is about 90% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $94 in Ba versus $936 in Chiang Mai, a $800 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Ba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Ba wins on affordability, Chiang Mai on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.