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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,024 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,576 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,129 in Barlad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Barlad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Barlad 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$9.70 RON 42.10

-79.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$45.51 RON 198

-59.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$7.98 RON 34.64

-6.02%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.64 RON 11.47

-26.89%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.00 RON 8.70

-61.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$1.76 RON 7.63

-81.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.27 RON 9.87

-5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.74 RON 11.88

35.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.54 RON 6.67

11.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.23 RON 5.33

26.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.73 RON 7.53

-31.79%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.39 RON 14.70

-41.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$8.67 RON 37.63

85.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$6.76 RON 29.33

-53.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$10.20 RON 44.27

7.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.13 RON 4.92

132.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.54 RON 6.69

-24.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.60 RON 6.96

3.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.93 RON 8.36

-20.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.83 RON 3.59

66.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.97 RON 4.21

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.87 RON 3.77

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.77 RON 3.33

-33.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$5.76 RON 25.01

-21.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$7.89 RON 34.26

132.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.07 RON 4.63

68.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.71 RON 7.40

85.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.70 RON 3.04

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$19.64 RON 85.2

-3.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.71 RON 3.09

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.73 RON 3.19

79.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$6.81 RON 29.57

18.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.53 RON 6.65

-16.34%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$28.3K RON 122.8K

-24.76%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$27.2K RON 118.2K

-20.28%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$152 RON 659

-54.42%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$7.89 RON 34.24

77.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$9.04 RON 39.25

98.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$41.38 RON 180

2.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$19.08 RON 82.8

-65.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$6.87 RON 29.81

-13.83%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$424 RON 1,840

-29.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$7,014 RON 30.4K

111.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$67.3 RON 292

-16.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$38.54 RON 167

-30.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$75.4 RON 327

12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$93.8 RON 407

-23.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$393 RON 1,705

10.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$295 RON 1,280

-18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$578 RON 2,510

37.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$445 RON 1,933

11.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$2,024 RON 8,782

-1.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,552 RON 6,737

-1.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

-23.78%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Barlad: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $393 in Barlad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $46 in Barlad. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $211 in Barlad – so Barlad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Barlad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $845 in Chiang Mai, $1,024 in Barlad – roughly 21% apart. Barlad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,535 in Barlad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 3% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $424 in Barlad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $1,024 in Barlad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $845 in Chiang Mai to $1,024 in Barlad. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barlad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.