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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $673 in Bacong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,103 in Bacong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,532 in Bacong, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Bacong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Bacong are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bacong 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.67 ₱165

-26.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$21.33 ₱1,315

-11.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.65 ₱225

116.99%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.04 ₱126

-6.37%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.57 ₱35.28

47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.30 ₱18.35

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.94 ₱58.2

135.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.73 ₱107

119.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.84 ₱114

-10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.20 ₱74.3

35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.95 ₱58.8

24.21%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.26 ₱139

-11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$5.75 ₱354

176.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.25 ₱262

-29.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.09 ₱437

51.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.77 ₱232

-30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.19 ₱73.3

2.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.37 ₱208

-49.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.55 ₱95.8

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.56 ₱158

-48.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$3.14 ₱194

-62.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.68 ₱104

-60.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.90 ₱55.8

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.15 ₱194

43.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.76 ₱417

169.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.34 ₱82.9

36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.45 ₱89.5

122.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.26 ₱15.99

242.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.72 ₱44.57

87.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.23 ₱14.10

486.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.58 ₱159

219.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.03 ₱63.5

23.30%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$23.5K ₱1.4M

-9.87%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

16.90%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$55.9 ₱3,450

25.42%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$30.59 ₱1,887

-54.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$30.34 ₱1,871

-41.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$33.30 ₱2,054

24.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$4.55 ₱280

45.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.28 ₱326

9.47%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$34.84 ₱2,149

778.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,279 ₱263.9K

246.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$45.23 ₱2,790

20.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$23.05 ₱1,421

13.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$61.9 ₱3,818

36.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$26.94 ₱1,662

157.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$167 ₱10.3K

153.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$174 ₱10.7K

36.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$579 ₱35.7K

42.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$395 ₱24.3K

30.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,215 ₱136.6K

-7.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bacong: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $167 in Bacong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Bacong. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $205 in Bacong – so Bacong wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bacong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,010 in Bacong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacong, 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $673 in Bacong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $34.84 in Bacong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $673 in Bacong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bacong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bacong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.