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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $438 in Baglung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $717 in Baglung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $995 in Baglung, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 95% more than Baglung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Baglung are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Baglung 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$1.84 NPR 279

6.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$19.13 NPR 2,906

-1.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.37 NPR 968

24.33%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.90 NPR 288

0.53%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.53 NPR 80.5

58.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.16 NPR 24.31

118.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.52 NPR 383

-12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.54 NPR 538

7.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.81 NPR 123

102.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.59 NPR 90.0

174.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.99 NPR 150

19.19%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.77 NPR 270

13.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.81 NPR 1,338

80.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.12 NPR 474

-3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$6.29 NPR 956

71.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.28 NPR 346

14.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.10 NPR 167

10.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.25 NPR 190

36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.65 NPR 99.1

143.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.48 NPR 72.3

175.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.68 NPR 104

72.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.53 NPR 79.9

26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.27 NPR 41.22

107.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.94 NPR 447

54.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.80 NPR 1,032

167.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.26 NPR 343

-19.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.18 NPR 484

1.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.23 NPR 34.26

286.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.24 NPR 341

-39.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.07 NPR 162

26.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.65 NPR 555

126.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.23 NPR 187

3.25%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$31.6K NPR 4.8M

-32.97%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$40.7K NPR 6.2M

-44.81%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$32.71 NPR 4,969

114.46%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.78 NPR 727

188.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$9.83 NPR 1,493

79.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$18.28 NPR 2,777

127.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.23 NPR 491

78.95%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$90.7 NPR 13.8K

237.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,756 NPR 570.5K

294.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$24.79 NPR 3,765

119.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$28.39 NPR 4,313

-7.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$59.2 NPR 8,987

42.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$39.27 NPR 5,965

76.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$104 NPR 15.8K

307.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$62.9 NPR 9,558

278.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$206 NPR 31.3K

300.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$146 NPR 22.1K

253.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,392 NPR 515.2K

-39.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,321 NPR 352.6K

-34.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$165 NPR 25.0K

285.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

-58.61%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Baglung: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $104 in Baglung. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 285% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Baglung. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $152 in Baglung – so Baglung 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 Baglung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai, $438 in Baglung – roughly 95% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $657 in Baglung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Baglung, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Baglung. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $438 in Baglung, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $438 in Baglung to $852 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Baglung. 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.