Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bac Kan Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bac Kan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $729 in Bac Kan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,133 in Bac Kan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,538 in Bac Kan.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 19% more expensive than Bac Kan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.18 ₫31.1K

64.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$26.99 ₫709.3K

-30.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.60 ₫120.9K

70.00%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.80 ₫21.1K

143.75%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.25 ₫6,517

240.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.27 ₫7,114

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.00 ₫26.2K

113.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.00 ₫26.2K

273.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.42 ₫37.3K

20.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.92 ₫24.2K

77.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.92 ₫24.1K

23.91%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.54 ₫40.6K

25.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.16 ₫240.6K

76.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.78 ₫99.3K

-17.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.50 ₫249.6K

14.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.36 ₫88.3K

-18.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.05 ₫27.7K

15.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.62 ₫42.7K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.11 ₫29.3K

43.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.08 ₫28.4K

29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.01 ₫26.4K

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.57 ₫14.9K

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.53 ₫13.9K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.32 ₫34.6K

255.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$13.07 ₫343.4K

42.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.90 ₫23.7K

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.74 ₫45.8K

85.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.34 ₫9,017

164.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$6.70 ₫175.9K

186.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.76 ₫19.8K

85.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.56 ₫14.7K

130.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.60 ₫42.2K

390.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.83 ₫21.9K

53.01%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$38.1K ₫1.0B

-44.19%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$32.0K ₫840.0M

-30.52%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$78.7 ₫2.1M

-12.23%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$5.28 ₫138.9K

166.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$8.84 ₫232.3K

103.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$20.98 ₫551.3K

95.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$7.70 ₫202.4K

-9.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.76 ₫98.9K

57.45%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$264 ₫6.9M

13.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$11.4K ₫300.7M

30.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$44.32 ₫1.2M

23.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$22.83 ₫599.9K

17.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$87.4 ₫2.3M

-2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$71.7 ₫1.9M

-1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$353 ₫9.3M

21.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$245 ₫6.4M

-3.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$680 ₫17.9M

17.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$463 ₫12.2M

11.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$4,165 ₫109.4M

-52.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,486 ₫39.0M

-0.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

-45.05%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bac Kan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $353 in Bac Kan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $27.00 in Bac Kan. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $191, with Bac Kan cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bac Kan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bac Kan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $1,093 in Bac Kan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $353 in Bac Kan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bac Kan – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $729 in Bac Kan – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bac Kan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Bac Kan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bac Kan 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 Bac Kan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.