Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Begamganj

For one person, living is cheaper in Begamganj: $329 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 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
16

Cost of Living Index in Begamganj
Learn more

Begamganj Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Begamganj

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$329

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Begamganj actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $329 in Begamganj, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Begamganj $329

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $532 in Begamganj, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Begamganj $532

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $735 in Begamganj, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Begamganj $735

Chiang Mai costs about 185% more than Begamganj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Begamganj are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Begamganj 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$1.53 ৳191

39.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$10.36 ৳1,294

79.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$4.87 ৳608

14.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ৳329

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ৳519

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$1.90 ৳238

-12.63%

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

$0.65 ฿21.83

$0.32 ৳40.20

103.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.15 ৳18.22

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$0.71 ৳88.7

184.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.51

$0.52 ৳65.1

171.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.96

$0.58 ৳73.0

139.66%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.12 ৳140

111.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$7.70 ৳962

114.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$2.26 ৳282

18.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$6.28 ৳784

43.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$2.51 ৳314

-4.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$0.87 ৳109

19.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$2.10 ৳262

-20.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$0.65 ৳80.9

140.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.76

$0.25 ৳31.41

396.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.66

$0.48 ৳59.7

127.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.48 ৳59.3

58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.35

$0.30 ৳37.59

70.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.93 ৳991

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ৳312

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ৳569

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$2.97 ৳371

38.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.53

$0.38 ৳47.98

144.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,785

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.70

$0.77 ৳96.3

53.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.79

$0.39 ৳48.23

-56.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$2.85 ৳356

-36.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.69

$1.14 ৳142

28.95%

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

$21.0K ฿708.9K

$29.1K ৳3.6M

-27.89%

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

$26.5K ฿894.6K

$31.9K ৳4.0M

-16.81%

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

$62.6 ฿2,111

$30.14 ৳3,763

107.56%

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

$11.60 ฿392

$4.38 ৳547

164.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$11.28 ৳1,409

79.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$13.35 ৳1,667

183.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$3.57 ৳446

82.35%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$25.80 ৳3,221

2717.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.2K

$1,177 ৳146.9K

1308.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,807

$16.36 ৳2,042

227.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿837

$18.50 ৳2,310

34.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,050

$32.58 ৳4,067

177.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$33.98 ৳4,242

111.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$89.2 ৳11.1K

439.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$51.9 ৳6,478

497.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$165 ৳20.6K

540.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$113 ৳14.1K

484.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.6K

$705 ৳88.0K

243.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.67

-47.80%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Begamganj: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Begamganj

$52 15.8% 83.3% $258

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Begamganj

$109 33.2% 53.9% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Begamganj

$46 13.9% 57.9% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Begamganj

$46 13.9% 51.5% $49

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Begamganj

$52 15.7% 32.7% $25

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Begamganj

$4.2 * 1.3% 92.8% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Begamganj

$20 6.2% 59.7% $30

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $89 in Begamganj. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $10 in Begamganj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $109 – making Begamganj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Begamganj

🕒 Local time

21:41 9:41 PM

20:41 8:41 PM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.01 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.15 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 125 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.01 USD). 1 EUR = 140 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.15 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Begamganj 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Begamganj

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 Begamganj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 185% more than Begamganj, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $493 in Begamganj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Begamganj, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $89 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $10 in Begamganj. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 117% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Begamganj, where all-in costs run around $329, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Begamganj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Begamganj – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.