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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,036 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,583 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,131 in Barlad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% 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 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$9.37 RON 42.97

-78.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$45.54 RON 209

-58.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$8.11 RON 37.22

-3.33%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$2.69 RON 12.34

-28.25%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$1.95 RON 8.94

-57.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$1.68 RON 7.70

-79.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$2.25 RON 10.33

-1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$2.69 RON 12.32

40.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.55 RON 7.10

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$1.24 RON 5.68

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$1.67 RON 7.68

-29.34%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$3.38 RON 15.52

-40.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$8.34 RON 38.28

93.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$6.72 RON 30.83

-54.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$10.44 RON 47.89

3.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$1.18 RON 5.42

127.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$1.60 RON 7.34

-23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$1.61 RON 7.38

1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.01 RON 9.21

-23.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$0.89 RON 4.10

50.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$0.99 RON 4.56

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$0.87 RON 3.99

-19.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$0.77 RON 3.54

-31.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$5.90 RON 27.04

-20.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

$7.17 RON 32.91

147.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

$1.08 RON 4.94

71.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.65 RON 7.55

94.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$0.72 RON 3.28

23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

$19.86 RON 91.1

-5.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$0.78 RON 3.56

80.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$0.70 RON 3.22

84.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$6.88 RON 31.55

13.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$1.59 RON 7.31

-18.87%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$28.1K RON 128.7K

-22.41%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$27.3K RON 125.5K

-20.69%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$151 RON 692

-53.62%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$8.30 RON 38.09

70.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$8.94 RON 41.01

94.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$40.77 RON 187

2.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

$19.45 RON 89.2

-64.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$7.06 RON 32.37

-18.13%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$433 RON 1,988

-30.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$6,858 RON 31.5K

111.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$67.4 RON 309

-17.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$38.67 RON 177

-31.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$75.3 RON 345

12.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$91.7 RON 421

-23.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$391 RON 1,796

8.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$287 RON 1,315

-18.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$591 RON 2,709

35.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$443 RON 2,031

16.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

$1,722 RON 7,901

11.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

$1,423 RON 6,530

1.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Barlad: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $391 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 $46.00 in Barlad. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $210 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: $847 in Chiang Mai, $1,036 in Barlad – roughly 22% apart. Barlad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,554 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 6% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $300 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Barlad at $1,036. 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 $847 in Chiang Mai to $1,036 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.