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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,037 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,604 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,171 in Barlad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 9% cheaper than Barlad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Barlad 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$10.64 RON 48.06

-80.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$41.71 RON 188

-52.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.50 RON 33.88

-24.67%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.67 RON 12.06

-32.21%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$2.04 RON 9.23

-65.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$1.67 RON 7.57

-80.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.14 RON 9.69

4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.58 RON 11.64

40.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.40 RON 6.32

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$1.29 RON 5.83

16.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$1.41 RON 6.38

-4.96%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$3.10 RON 13.98

-27.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$7.41 RON 33.47

119.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$6.52 RON 29.44

-54.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$10.62 RON 47.99

-6.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$1.26 RON 5.69

103.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.45 RON 6.54

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.38 RON 6.23

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$2.30 RON 10.39

-33.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.78 RON 3.54

62.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.78 RON 3.50

37.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.85 RON 3.85

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.94 RON 4.23

-45.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$6.86 RON 31.00

-38.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$6.36 RON 28.71

180.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.26 RON 5.69

34.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$1.51 RON 6.82

88.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.52 RON 2.37

78.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$21.51 RON 97.2

150.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.75 RON 3.40

64.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.74 RON 3.35

-21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$7.04 RON 31.82

-65.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.84 RON 8.30

-23.37%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$28.5K RON 129.0K

-24.88%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$29.1K RON 131.6K

-6.16%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$165 RON 743

-61.29%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$9.46 RON 42.73

35.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$9.15 RON 41.34

120.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$36.78 RON 166

5.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$22.62 RON 102

-82.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$7.18 RON 32.44

-6.13%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$444 RON 2,008

75.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$6,345 RON 28.7K

130.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$61.9 RON 280

-12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$42.63 RON 193

-40.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$86.0 RON 388

9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$76.7 RON 347

-4.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$354 RON 1,600

38.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$328 RON 1,483

-11.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$609 RON 2,753

46.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$450 RON 2,033

14.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,862 RON 8,414

4.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$1,415 RON 6,393

4.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.97

-20.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barlad: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $354 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $42.00 in Barlad. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $204 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: $947 in Chiang Mai, $1,037 in Barlad – roughly 10% apart. Barlad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,556 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 150% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $444 in Barlad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Barlad at $1,037. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barlad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $947 in Chiang Mai to $1,037 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.