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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $325 in Barisal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $495 in Barisal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $666 in Barisal, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 165% more than Barisal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Barisal are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Barisal 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$1.14 ৳140

71.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$5.62 ৳689

226.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$5.23 ৳642

43.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ৳488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ৳574

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$0.63 ৳77.4

220.63%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.18 ৳21.55

372.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.12 ৳14.82

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$0.68 ৳83.0

142.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$0.60 ৳73.0

161.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$0.55 ৳68.0

116.36%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$1.21 ৳148

60.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$5.85 ৳718

176.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$2.61 ৳320

14.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$6.53 ৳801

67.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$1.98 ৳243

36.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$0.93 ৳114

25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.74 ৳214

-2.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.56 ৳69.0

185.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$0.30 ৳36.48

360.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$0.43 ৳53.0

179.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$0.33 ৳40.23

103.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.29 ৳35.02

93.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.69 ৳820

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 ৳451

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ৳587

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.30 ৳405

40.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.30 ৳37.32

193.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

$10.45 ৳1,281

85.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$0.64 ৳78.1

112.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$0.20 ৳24.46

570.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.01 ৳246

308.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$0.92 ৳112

32.61%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$28.4K ৳3.5M

-24.92%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$27.2K ৳3.3M

-17.18%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$30.50 ৳3,739

131.70%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$5.44 ৳667

158.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$22.31 ৳2,736

-21.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$9.68 ৳1,187

335.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$8.06 ৳988

-14.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.35 ৳411

76.72%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$17.19 ৳2,107

1694.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$1,291 ৳158.2K

1052.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$16.04 ৳1,967

247.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$16.08 ৳1,972

62.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$28.92 ৳3,546

187.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$28.34 ৳3,475

148.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$80.8 ৳9,909

434.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$63.9 ৳7,839

273.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$134 ৳16.4K

513.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$96.9 ৳11.9K

428.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$353 ৳43.3K

442.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$306 ৳37.6K

378.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$171 ৳21.0K

238.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.08

-44.93%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barisal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $80.8 in Barisal. 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 238% 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 $6.00 in Barisal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $102 – making Barisal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Barisal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 165%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $488 in Barisal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barisal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 85% less in Barisal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $17.19 in Barisal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $325 in Barisal, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Barisal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Barisal. 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.