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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $451 in Baglung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $733 in Baglung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,014 in Baglung, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 88% 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

$1.96 ฿63.6

$1.79 NPR 270

9.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$19.18 NPR 2,902

-4.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$6.54 NPR 989

20.34%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$1.89 NPR 287

3.17%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.54 NPR 81.1

57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.15 NPR 23.12

113.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$2.63 NPR 398

-18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$3.54 NPR 536

3.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$0.84 NPR 127

97.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.56 NPR 84.1

178.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$0.94 NPR 143

26.60%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$1.76 NPR 267

13.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$9.12 NPR 1,381

78.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$3.23 NPR 489

-1.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$6.05 NPR 915

79.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.18 NPR 331

21.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.04 NPR 158

17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.21 NPR 183

36.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$0.70 NPR 106

121.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.49 NPR 74.0

171.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.67 NPR 102

80.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.53 NPR 80.6

28.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.27 NPR 41.13

111.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$2.94 NPR 445

59.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$8.07 NPR 1,221

110.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$2.32 NPR 351

-21.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$3.36 NPR 508

-5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.18 NPR 27.06

405.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$2.22 NPR 336

-36.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.07 NPR 161

25.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$3.73 NPR 565

118.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.27 NPR 192

0.79%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$32.4K NPR 4.9M

-32.65%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$40.6K NPR 6.1M

-44.78%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$32.38 NPR 4,900

117.67%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$4.85 NPR 734

189.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$9.47 NPR 1,433

86.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$18.55 NPR 2,806

122.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$3.26 NPR 494

82.82%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$93.1 NPR 14.1K

225.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$3,813 NPR 576.9K

292.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$25.33 NPR 3,832

115.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$28.33 NPR 4,287

-7.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$59.3 NPR 8,978

44.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$38.81 NPR 5,872

79.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$105 NPR 15.9K

308.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$64.6 NPR 9,779

269.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$209 NPR 31.5K

288.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$143 NPR 21.6K

257.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$3,253 NPR 492.2K

-37.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$2,296 NPR 347.4K

-34.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$165 NPR 25.0K

276.68%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Baglung: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $105 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 277% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Baglung. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $155 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: $848 in Chiang Mai, $451 in Baglung – roughly 88% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $677 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 $18.00 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $451 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 $451 in Baglung to $848 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.