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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,025 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,587 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,150 in Barlad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Barlad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Barlad 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$9.37 RON 42.67

-79.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$46.93 RON 214

-60.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$7.83 RON 35.66

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$2.70 RON 12.30

-27.78%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$1.99 RON 9.04

-57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$1.74 RON 7.94

-79.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.35 RON 10.72

-9.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.71 RON 12.32

37.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$1.48 RON 6.74

15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$1.19 RON 5.41

36.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$1.73 RON 7.89

-34.10%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$3.35 RON 15.26

-42.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$8.39 RON 38.19

93.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.87 RON 31.27

-54.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$10.50 RON 47.82

3.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$1.13 RON 5.15

143.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$1.60 RON 7.27

-24.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.61 RON 7.32

0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$1.93 RON 8.77

-17.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$0.84 RON 3.84

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$0.92 RON 4.19

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$0.90 RON 4.08

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$0.82 RON 3.72

-35.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$5.84 RON 26.60

-19.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$5.91 RON 26.89

215.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.03 RON 4.69

74.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.69 RON 7.70

91.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$0.71 RON 3.24

26.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$19.73 RON 89.8

-2.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$0.76 RON 3.48

85.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$0.74 RON 3.35

74.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$7.09 RON 32.26

10.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.54 RON 7.00

-17.53%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$28.3K RON 128.8K

-24.81%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$26.9K RON 122.5K

-17.47%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$147 RON 668

-52.93%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$7.88 RON 35.86

78.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$9.12 RON 41.52

97.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$41.89 RON 191

-1.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$18.99 RON 86.5

-63.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$7.07 RON 32.20

-16.27%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$433 RON 1,971

-30.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$6,944 RON 31.6K

115.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$68.0 RON 309

-19.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$38.52 RON 175

-30.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$75.3 RON 343

12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$91.2 RON 415

-22.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$396 RON 1,802

8.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$292 RON 1,327

-18.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$585 RON 2,665

36.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$443 RON 2,018

16.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$1,967 RON 8,954

0.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$1,223 RON 5,566

20.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barlad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $396 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $47.00 in Barlad. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $207 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: $866 in Chiang Mai, $1,025 in Barlad – roughly 18% apart. Barlad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,537 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 $433 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $1,025 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 $866 in Chiang Mai to $1,025 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.