Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bakuriani

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakuriani: $695 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chiang Mai outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Bakuriani
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Bakuriani Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Bakuriani

🇬🇪 Georgia

$695

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $695 in Bakuriani, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Bakuriani $695

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,134 in Bakuriani, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Bakuriani $1,134

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,573 in Bakuriani, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Bakuriani $1,573

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Bakuriani, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Bakuriani are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bakuriani 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$11.55 ₾29.90

-80.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$32.97 ₾85.4

-40.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$11.15 ₾28.86

-49.69%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$3.67 ₾9.51

-54.77%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.99 ₾2.57

-29.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.55 ₾1.43

-43.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.84 ₾4.77

30.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.30 ₾5.97

61.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$2.08 ₾5.37

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.73 ₾1.90

93.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.60 ₾4.15

-18.13%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.71 ₾7.02

-19.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$9.55 ₾24.73

74.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$6.04 ₾15.65

-54.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$9.94 ₾25.74

-8.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.53 ₾3.96

56.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.97 ₾5.11

-47.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.29 ₾3.35

26.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$2.10 ₾5.43

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.94 ₾2.42

37.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.63 ₾1.62

76.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.47 ₾3.80

-51.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.73 ₾1.88

-27.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$3.11 ₾8.05

38.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$5.91 ₾15.29

203.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.51 ₾3.92

4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.10 ₾5.43

35.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.18 ₾3.05

2.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.63 ₾1.63

-9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$12.19 ₾31.55

-80.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.49 ₾3.85

-3.36%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$15.6K ₾40.5K

32.52%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$20.7K ₾53.5K

29.59%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$79.4 ₾206

-21.50%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$9.41 ₾24.37

28.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$15.75 ₾40.78

26.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$6.79 ₾17.57

-4.27%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$294 ₾760

169.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$3,162 ₾8,186

368.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$93.9 ₾243

-42.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$38.48 ₾99.6

-36.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$133 ₾344

-31.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$116 ₾299

-38.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.55

-55.62%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Bakuriani: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Bakuriani

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Bakuriani

$211 30.4% 10.2% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Bakuriani

$171 24.7% 58.5% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Bakuriani

$105 15% 10.8% $10

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Bakuriani

$190 27.3% 142% $111

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Bakuriani

$4.3 * 0.6% 92.9% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Bakuriani

$14 * 2% 72.9% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Bakuriani. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $211 in Bakuriani – so Bakuriani wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇬🇪 Bakuriani

🕒 Local time

20:24 8:24 PM

17:24 5:24 PM

3 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,800

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Bakuriani 5,790 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Bakuriani

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 Bakuriani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Bakuriani, 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,043 in Bakuriani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Chiang Mai and $695 in Bakuriani. That's a gap of about 33%.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $294 in Bakuriani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bakuriani, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Bakuriani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakuriani costs $695 versus $925 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bakuriani. 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.