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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 18.9% more expensive than Balti without rent, and 13% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 10.1% cheaper than Balti without rent, and 24% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ฿65.3

$8.06 MDL 136

-74.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 ฿608

$36.61 MDL 620

-48.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ฿248

$7.44 MDL 126

3.09%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ฿64.2

$1.66 MDL 28.04

19.28%

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

$0.82 ฿26.64

$1 MDL 16.86

-18.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.58

$0.68 MDL 11.53

-51.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ฿68.6

$1.8 MDL 30.48

17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿121

$2.24 MDL 37.92

66.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.27 MDL 21.58

29.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿50.9

$0.4 MDL 6.77

292.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.62

$1.45 MDL 24.53

-17.93%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿64.1

$1.64 MDL 27.75

20.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 ฿517

$9.53 MDL 161

67.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿101

$4.45 MDL 75.4

-29.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿361

$8.62 MDL 146

29.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿89.2

$0.86 MDL 14.5

220.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.5

$1.84 MDL 31.21

-33.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿55.4

$1.47 MDL 24.89

16.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.2

$2.17 MDL 36.75

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.21

$0.73 MDL 12.38

83.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.23

$0.59 MDL 10.04

105.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.2

$1.37 MDL 23.13

-47.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.05

$0.88 MDL 14.89

-39.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 ฿153

$3.14 MDL 53.2

50.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ฿595

$4.68 MDL 79.2

292.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿57.9

$1.28 MDL 21.59

39.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿104

$1.96 MDL 33.24

63.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.44

$0.36 MDL 6.14

161.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.9 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.08

$2 MDL 33.87

-29.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.53

$0.25 MDL 4.2

440.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 ฿254

$5.23 MDL 88.6

50.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.4

$1.32 MDL 22.33

-5.30%

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

$21.2K ฿684.9K

$32.3K MDL 546.6K

-34.44%

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

$21.8K ฿706.8K

$30.9K MDL 522.7K

-29.26%

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

$70.6 ฿2,285

$170 MDL 2,884

-58.55%

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

$13.72 ฿444

$4.61 MDL 78

197.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 ฿568

$10.34 MDL 175

69.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,347

$40.68 MDL 689

2.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.9 ฿223

Cinema Ticket

$5.8 ฿188

$4.74 MDL 80.2

22.36%

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

$308 ฿9,963

$118 MDL 1,993

161.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿475.8K

$5,490 MDL 92.9K

167.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,793

$66.7 MDL 1,129

-16.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.4 ฿854

$54.7 MDL 927

-51.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ฿2,755

$112 MDL 1,888

-23.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,323

$124 MDL 2,095

-42.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ฿14K

$405 MDL 6,859

7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,610

$294 MDL 4,975

-19.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,180 ฿70.6K

$913 MDL 15.5K

138.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 ฿49.9K

$991 MDL 16.8K

55.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ฿22.8K

$477 MDL 8,083

47.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

-45.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Balti: October 29, 2025

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