Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Barisal

For one person, living is cheaper in Barisal: $303 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 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
15

Cost of Living Index in Barisal
Learn more

Barisal Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Barisal

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$303

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $303 in Barisal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Barisal $303

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $490 in Barisal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Barisal $490

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $677 in Barisal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Barisal $677

Chiang Mai costs about 208% more than Barisal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Barisal are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Barisal 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$1.43 ৳177

48.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$10.54 ৳1,307

76.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$4.70 ৳583

19.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 ৳339

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 ৳579

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.84 ৳228

-9.78%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$0.27 ৳33.01

140.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$0.14 ৳17.18

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$0.70 ৳86.3

188.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$0.60 ৳74.2

135.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$0.52 ৳63.9

167.31%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$1.19 ৳148

99.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$6.12 ৳759

169.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$2.26 ৳280

18.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$6.44 ৳799

40.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$2.30 ৳286

4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$0.92 ৳114

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$1.99 ৳247

-16.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$0.58 ৳72.3

168.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$0.29 ৳35.95

327.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$0.43 ৳53.0

153.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$0.42 ৳51.6

80.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.27 ৳33.30

88.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.76 ৳839

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 ৳443

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ৳564

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$3.19 ৳396

29.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.38 ৳47.57

144.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$0.79 ৳98.1

49.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.38 ৳47.38

-55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.78 ৳345

-34.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$1.04 ৳129

41.35%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$29.2K ৳3.6M

-28.06%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$32.0K ৳4.0M

-17.22%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$20.22 ৳2,508

209.40%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$5.20 ৳645

123.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$11.23 ৳1,393

80.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$7.13 ৳885

431.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$12.31 ৳1,527

-69.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$4.81 ৳597

35.34%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$13.55 ৳1,681

5265.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$686 ৳85.1K

2315.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$16.24 ৳2,015

229.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$18.40 ৳2,283

34.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$32.62 ৳4,047

177.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$24.39 ৳3,026

195.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$71.4 ৳8,859

573.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$52.2 ৳6,470

494.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$133 ৳16.5K

698.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$85.4 ৳10.6K

671.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$683 ৳84.7K

254.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$312 ৳38.8K

415.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$183 ৳22.7K

225.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.67

-47.80%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Barisal: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Barisal

$52 17.2% 83.2% $258

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Barisal

$103 34% 56.4% $133

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Barisal

$41 13.6% 61.9% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Barisal

$37 12.1% 61.2% $58

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Barisal

$49 16.2% 35.8% $27

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Barisal

$4.2 * 1.4% 92.8% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Barisal

$17 5.5% 67.1% $34

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $71 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 in Chiang Mai are about 3.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $11 in Barisal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $103 – making Barisal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Barisal

🕒 Local time

17:41 5:41 PM

16:41 4:41 PM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

339,308

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.06 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.17 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.75 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.06 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.17 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Barisal 1,000 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Barisal

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 Barisal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 208%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $455 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $71 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $303 in Barisal. That makes Barisal about 68% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $13.55 in Barisal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Barisal. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.