Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Battambang

For one person, living is cheaper in Battambang: $661 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Battambang
Learn more

Battambang Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Battambang

🇰🇭 Cambodia

$661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Battambang

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Battambang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $925 in Chiang Mai versus $661 in Battambang.

Chiang Mai $925
Battambang $661

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Chiang Mai versus $1,047 in Battambang.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Battambang $1,047

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Chiang Mai versus $1,433 in Battambang.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Battambang $1,433

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 40% more expensive than in Battambang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Battambang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$2.55 ៛10.3K

-10.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$17.78 ៛72.2K

10.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$6.24 ៛25.4K

-10.10%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.31 ៛5,326

26.72%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.68 ៛2,753

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.48 ៛1,944

-35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$0.92 ៛3,745

161.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.27 ៛9,225

63.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$2.25 ៛9,131

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.98 ៛3,979

43.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.02 ៛4,149

28.43%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.82 ៛7,405

19.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$14.54 ៛59.1K

14.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$2.35 ៛9,544

17.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$9.50 ៛38.6K

-4.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$4.33 ៛17.6K

-44.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.23 ៛4,979

-16.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$4.51 ៛18.3K

-63.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.91 ៛7,769

-21.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.71 ៛6,937

-24.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.14 ៛4,612

-2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.72 ៛2,943

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.78 ៛3,155

-32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$1.86 ៛7,553

131.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$11.09 ៛45.1K

61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$0.65 ៛2,651

143.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$0.97 ៛3,949

192.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$0.85 ៛3,454

42.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.85 ៛3,465

-32.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$5.12 ៛20.8K

-54.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.25 ៛5,064

15.20%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$34.5K ៛140.0M

-39.87%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$34.5K ៛140.2M

-22.36%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$62.7 ៛254.7K

-0.59%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$2.79 ៛11.3K

334.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$24.91 ៛101.2K

-19.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$22.89 ៛93.0K

61.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$5.08 ៛20.6K

27.95%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$89.7 ៛364.4K

783.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$3,830 ៛15.6M

286.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$19.70 ៛80.0K

172.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$24.28 ៛98.6K

1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$90.2 ៛366.5K

0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$44.44 ៛180.5K

60.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$222 ៛901.4K

105.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$152 ៛617.6K

95.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$417 ៛1.7M

117.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$324 ៛1.3M

70.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$203 ៛825.0K

190.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.25

-23.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Battambang: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Battambang

$152 23% 49% $146

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Battambang

$231 35% 1.8% $4.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Battambang

$80 12.2% 25.7% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Battambang

$90 13.7% 4.2% $4

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Battambang

$69 10.4% 12.7% $10

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Battambang

$5.1 * 0.8% 91.6% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Battambang

$33 5% 34% $17

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Chiang Mai and $222 in Battambang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 191% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $18.00 in Battambang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $231 per month, with Battambang cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇭 Battambang

🕒 Local time

07:52 7:52 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

196,709

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Cambodian Riel KHR ៛

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 KHR = 2.46 USD

10,000 KHR = 2.19 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KHR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Cambodian Riel exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 4,062 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.46 USD). 1 EUR = 4,567 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.19 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Battambang 780 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Battambang

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Battambang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Battambang wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Battambang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 191% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $455 in Chiang Mai versus $222 in Battambang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $793 in Chiang Mai versus $89.7 in Battambang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Battambang – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $661 in Battambang versus $925 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Battambang but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Battambang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Battambang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $661 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Battambang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Battambang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Battambang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.