Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Behbahan

For one person, living is cheaper in Behbahan: $525 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Behbahan
Learn more

Behbahan Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Behbahan

🇮🇷 Iran

$525

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $525 in Behbahan.

Chiang Mai $936
Behbahan $525

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $803 in Behbahan.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Behbahan $803

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $1,082 in Behbahan.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Behbahan $1,082

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 78% more expensive than in Behbahan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Behbahan 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$4.54 $4.54

-50.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$12.93 $12.93

46.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$4.04 $4.04

37.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 $0.99

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.16 $1.16

43.97%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.66 $0.66

-3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.91 $0.91

-65.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.67 $0.67

191.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.41 $0.41

251.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$1.98 $1.98

-32.83%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.22 $1.22

86.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$2.23 $2.23

637.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.22 $2.22

25.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.90 $9.90

-5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.07 $1.07

119.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.61 $1.61

-39.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.90 $0.90

77.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$0.58 $0.58

158.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.57 $0.57

124.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.52 $0.52

111.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.51 $0.51

39.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.19 $0.19

157.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.82 $0.82

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 $0.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.04 $3.04

36.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.16 $0.16

443.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$10.17 $10.17

431.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.39 $0.39

197.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.22 $0.22

140.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$3.46 $3.46

-30.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.08 $0.08

1712.50%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$64.3K $64.3K

-67.27%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$53.8K $53.8K

-49.94%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$24.10 $24.10

157.97%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$2.07 $2.07

487.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$3.89 $3.89

417.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$20.20 $20.20

84.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$14.77 $14.77

-74.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$2.01 $2.01

222.89%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$104 $104

609.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$2,406 $2,406

513.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$23.08 $23.08

131.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$18.62 $18.62

32.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$93.5 $93.5

-2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$54.6 $54.6

31.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$322 $322

49.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$204 $204

51.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$766 $766

31.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$321 $321

97.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,027 $1,027

130.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$510 $510

211.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

24.3

-77.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Behbahan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Behbahan

$204 38.9% 33.9% $105

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Behbahan

$100 19% 57.4% $135

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Behbahan

$85 16.3% 21.4% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Behbahan

$30 5.7% 68.2% $64

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Behbahan

$69 13.1% 11.6% $9

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Behbahan

$12 2.3% 80% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Behbahan

$24 4.6% 51.8% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Chiang Mai and $322 in Behbahan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $13 in Behbahan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $100 per month, with Behbahan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇷 Behbahan

🕒 Local time

06:05 6:05 AM

02:35 2:35 AM

3 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

122,604

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Behbahan 5,060 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Behbahan

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 Behbahan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Behbahan is about 44% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,403 in Chiang Mai and $787 in Behbahan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Chiang Mai versus $322 in Behbahan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $525 in Behbahan – Behbahan is about 44% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Behbahan runs roughly 81% less than in Chiang Mai. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Behbahan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.