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 $452 in Baglung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $731 in Baglung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,009 in Baglung, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 89% 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 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.81 NPR 276

12.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$19.16 NPR 2,924

-2.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.68 NPR 1,019

17.66%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.87 NPR 285

8.56%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.50 NPR 75.9

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.17 NPR 25.31

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.60 NPR 397

-17.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.73 NPR 570

-1.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.83 NPR 127

108.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.55 NPR 84.0

185.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.01 NPR 154

18.81%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.86 NPR 283

5.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.93 NPR 1,363

81.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.22 NPR 492

-4.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$6.00 NPR 916

80.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.17 NPR 332

27.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.09 NPR 167

7.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.21 NPR 184

41.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.65 NPR 99.6

144.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.48 NPR 72.8

189.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.72 NPR 110

61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.53 NPR 80.4

24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.27 NPR 41.21

92.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.90 NPR 442

60.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.85 NPR 1,350

100.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.28 NPR 349

-21.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.35 NPR 511

-0.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.20 NPR 30.98

355.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.13 NPR 324

-33.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.05 NPR 160

27.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.69 NPR 562

119.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.24 NPR 189

-0.81%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$31.7K NPR 4.8M

-32.35%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$40.7K NPR 6.2M

-46.40%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$32.78 NPR 5,003

117.60%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$4.82 NPR 736

190.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.79 NPR 1,494

83.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$18.42 NPR 2,811

121.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.38 NPR 516

69.23%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$93.0 NPR 14.2K

231.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,833 NPR 585.0K

282.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$25.11 NPR 3,832

122.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$27.40 NPR 4,182

-4.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$59.1 NPR 9,023

43.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$40.01 NPR 6,106

77.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$107 NPR 16.3K

295.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$63.5 NPR 9,695

281.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$204 NPR 31.2K

290.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$145 NPR 22.1K

249.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$3,210 NPR 489.8K

-40.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$2,264 NPR 345.6K

-35.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$163 NPR 24.8K

265.96%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Baglung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $107 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 266% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $156 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, $452 in Baglung – roughly 89% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $678 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 57% 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 $452 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 $452 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.