Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bakaly

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,104 in Bakaly, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Bakaly
Learn more

Bakaly Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Bakaly

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,104

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Bakaly

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,104 in Bakaly, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Bakaly $1,104

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,712 in Bakaly, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Bakaly $1,712

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,320 in Bakaly, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Bakaly $2,320

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Bakaly, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Bakaly are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bakaly 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$11.30 ₽910

-80.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$36.88 ₽2,970

-48.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$11.09 ₽893

-49.95%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.82 ₽227

-40.78%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.87 ₽69.9

-26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.57 ₽45.98

-45.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.20 ₽96.5

96.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.08 ₽86.8

238.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.93 ₽74.9

109.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.80 ₽64.2

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.41 ₽114

-5.67%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.63 ₽131

39.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$11.29 ₽909

45.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$5.47 ₽441

-49.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$11.37 ₽916

-18.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.77 ₽143

32.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.84 ₽148

-47.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.81 ₽146

-11.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.81 ₽226

-46.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.78 ₽62.8

64.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.57 ₽46.16

92.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.29 ₽104

-44.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.76 ₽61.5

-35.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.96 ₽238

39.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$7.91 ₽637

121.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.07 ₽86.2

50.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.06 ₽166

34.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.56 ₽45.29

55.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$24.97 ₽2,011

116.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.55 ₽125

-25.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.25 ₽20.16

112.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$7.43 ₽598

-67.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.84 ₽67.4

72.62%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$52.1K ₽4.2M

-59.56%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$41.7K ₽3.4M

-35.46%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$148 ₽11.9K

-57.90%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$7.39 ₽595

64.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$6.97 ₽561

188.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$36.56 ₽2,944

2.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$24.23 ₽1,951

-84.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.89 ₽474

10.19%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$345 ₽27.8K

113.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$6,358 ₽512.1K

132.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$84.7 ₽6,822

-37.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$24.63 ₽1,984

0.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$119 ₽9,546

-22.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$145 ₽11.7K

-50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$479 ₽38.6K

0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$315 ₽25.4K

-1.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$900 ₽72.5K

11.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$578 ₽46.6K

9.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,261 ₽182.1K

4.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,500 ₽120.8K

5.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-74.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bakaly: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Bakaly

$315 28.6% 1.9% $6

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Bakaly

$209 18.9% 10.8% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Bakaly

$168 15.2% 54.5% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Bakaly

$162 14.7% 71.5% $68

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Bakaly

$171 15.5% 121% $94

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Bakaly

$30 2.7% 51.1% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Bakaly

$48 4.4% 3.9% $2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $479 in Bakaly. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $37 in Bakaly. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $209 in Bakaly – so Bakaly wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Bakaly

🕒 Local time

21:30 9:30 PM

19:30 7:30 PM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

10,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.87 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Bakaly 5,540 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Bakaly

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 Bakaly: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bakaly costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,655 in Bakaly. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $479 in Bakaly. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $37 in Bakaly. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,104 in Bakaly. That makes Chiang Mai about 15% cheaper.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,104 in Bakaly. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,104 in Bakaly. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.