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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $322 in Barisal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $515 in Barisal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $708 in Barisal, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 190% more than Barisal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Barisal are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Barisal 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$1.45 ৳178

43.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$10.62 ৳1,303

84.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.67 ৳573

21.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 ৳337

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 ৳565

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.97 ৳241

-8.12%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.29 ৳35.62

165.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.14 ৳17.11

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.73 ৳89.3

180.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.58 ৳71.6

160.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.50 ৳61.8

180.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.20 ৳148

88.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$6.16 ৳756

162.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.25 ৳276

28.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$6.72 ৳825

40.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.27 ৳278

18.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$0.97 ৳119

12.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.95 ৳239

-16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.56 ৳68.2

160.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.29 ৳35.58

341.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.46 ৳56.5

130.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.41 ৳50.8

75.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.32 ৳39.03

65.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.84 ৳839

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.73 ৳457

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ৳567

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.22 ৳395

31.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.27 ৳33.10

225.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$12.32 ৳1,511

336.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.32 ৳162

-11.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.36 ৳43.58

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$2.81 ৳345

-14.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.02 ৳125

42.16%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$30.1K ৳3.7M

-30.13%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$32.2K ৳3.9M

-17.83%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$20.53 ৳2,520

210.03%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$5.24 ৳643

145.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$11.06 ৳1,357

85.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$7.04 ৳864

454.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$12.36 ৳1,516

-68.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$4.79 ৳588

37.37%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$13.40 ৳1,644

5749.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$699 ৳85.7K

1999.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$16.80 ৳2,061

228.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$18.05 ৳2,214

37.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$32.00 ৳3,926

194.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$24.66 ৳3,026

199.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$73.6 ৳9,033

566.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$51.8 ৳6,358

456.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$134 ৳16.4K

566.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$85.4 ৳10.5K

510.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$351 ৳43.1K

462.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$310 ৳38.0K

366.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$169 ৳20.8K

255.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.48

-46.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Barisal: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $73.6 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 255% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $11.00 in Barisal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $105 – 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 190%, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $482 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 336% less in Barisal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $13.40 in Barisal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Barisal, where all-in costs run around $322, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Barisal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.