Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bac Kan

For one person, living is cheaper in Bac Kan: $819 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Bac Kan
Learn more

Bac Kan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Bac Kan

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$819

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Bac Kan

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 Bac Kan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai versus $819 in Bac Kan.

Chiang Mai $935
Bac Kan $819

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Chiang Mai versus $1,293 in Bac Kan.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Bac Kan $1,293

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,999 in Chiang Mai versus $1,768 in Bac Kan.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Bac Kan $1,768

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bac Kan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bac Kan 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$1.99 ₫51.4K

7.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$23.09 ₫594.6K

-19.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$4.54 ₫116.9K

23.35%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$1.88 ₫48.3K

-11.70%

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

$0.65 ฿21.83

$0.49 ₫12.6K

32.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.33 ₫8,587

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.4

$1.19 ₫30.7K

94.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$1.97 ₫50.8K

86.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$1.52 ₫39.1K

32.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.51

$1.01 ₫25.9K

39.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.96

$0.81 ₫21.0K

71.60%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.52 ₫39.1K

55.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$12.08 ₫311.0K

36.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$3.70 ₫95.4K

-27.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$9.27 ₫238.7K

-2.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$3.18 ₫82.0K

-24.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$1.02 ₫26.4K

1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.30 ₫33.5K

27.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$1.12 ₫28.8K

39.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.76

$0.91 ₫23.3K

36.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.66

$1.15 ₫29.5K

-5.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.59 ₫15.2K

28.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.35

$0.53 ₫13.6K

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$1.40 ₫36.0K

194.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$10.61 ₫273.2K

68.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$0.92 ₫23.8K

76.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$1.63 ₫42.0K

73.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.53

$0.35 ₫9,033

165.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,785

$7.71 ₫198.4K

585.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.70

$0.92 ₫23.7K

28.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.79

$0.60 ₫15.5K

-71.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$2.40 ₫61.7K

-24.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.69

$0.91 ₫23.4K

61.54%

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

$21.0K ฿708.9K

$30.7K ₫789.9M

-31.50%

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

$26.5K ฿894.6K

$28.8K ₫742.7M

-8.06%

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

$62.6 ฿2,111

$83.5 ₫2.1M

-25.05%

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

$11.60 ฿392

$4.92 ₫126.7K

135.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$8.79 ₫226.3K

130.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$17.75 ₫457.1K

113.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$7.94 ₫204.6K

-53.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$4.52 ₫116.5K

44.03%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$333 ₫8.6M

118.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.2K

$29.3K ₫755.3M

-43.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,807

$44.64 ₫1.1M

19.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿837

$28.13 ₫724.4K

-11.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,050

$84.8 ₫2.2M

6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$73.1 ₫1.9M

-1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$452 ₫11.6M

6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$320 ₫8.2M

-3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$606 ₫15.6M

74.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$660 ₫17.0M

-0.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.6K

$2,473 ₫63.7M

-2.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$1,146 ₫29.5M

40.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.17

-31.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bac Kan: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Bac Kan

$320 39.1% 3.3% $10

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Bac Kan

$193 23.5% 18.5% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Bac Kan

$104 12.7% 4.2% $4.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Bac Kan

$97 11.9% 2.9% $2.7

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Bac Kan

$65 8% 14.7% $11

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Bac Kan

$13 1.6% 77.8% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Bac Kan

$27 3.3% 47.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Chiang Mai and $452 in Bac Kan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $23 in Bac Kan. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $193, with Bac Kan cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇻🇳 Bac Kan

🕒 Local time

01:46 1:46 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

38,510

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.88 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 25,750 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,829 VND (100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Bac Kan 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Bac Kan

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 Bac Kan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bac Kan is about 12% cheaper overall, especially in transport, groceries, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,403 in Chiang Mai and $1,229 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: $481 in Chiang Mai versus $452 in Bac Kan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19 versus $23 in Bac Kan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $935 per month in Chiang Mai versus $819 in Bac Kan – Bac Kan is about 12% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bac Kan are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.