Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bhairab Bazar Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bhairab Bazar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $358 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $589 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $819 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 166% more than Bhairab Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Bhairab Bazar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bhairab Bazar 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.00 ৳246

5.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$12.15 ৳1,493

63.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$5.43 ৳667

6.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 ৳320

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ৳504

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.99 ৳245

-8.04%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.37 ৳45.20

110.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.14 ৳17.34

121.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.79 ৳97.4

156.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.60 ৳73.3

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.67 ৳82.7

111.94%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.17 ৳144

86.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$7.47 ৳917

112.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$2.11 ৳259

45.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.52 ৳924

31.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.33 ৳287

12.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.89 ৳110

23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.02 ৳248

-19.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.88 ৳108

73.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.47 ৳57.8

163.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.85 ৳104

32.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.50 ৳61.6

48.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.31 ৳37.85

61.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.70 ৳1,069

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ৳104

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ৳184

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.93 ৳359

46.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.43 ৳52.3

118.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.77 ৳95.2

59.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.59 ৳72.5

-10.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$4.09 ৳503

-41.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.07 ৳131

34.58%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$32.9K ৳4.0M

-35.65%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$43.9K ৳5.4M

-37.86%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$29.79 ৳3,660

117.96%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$5.65 ৳694

136.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$12.35 ৳1,517

68.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$13.42 ৳1,649

201.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$3.59 ৳441

86.91%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$36.31 ৳4,460

2067.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$1,454 ৳178.6K

940.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$23.07 ৳2,834

143.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$19.88 ৳2,443

25.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$56.9 ৳6,992

62.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$34.23 ৳4,205

119.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$87.7 ৳10.8K

451.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$50.8 ৳6,235

465.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$168 ৳20.7K

440.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$116 ৳14.2K

358.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$696 ৳85.5K

184.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.5

-51.57%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bhairab Bazar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $87.7 in Bhairab Bazar. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Bhairab Bazar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $115 – making Bhairab Bazar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bhairab Bazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 166%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $537 in Bhairab Bazar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bhairab Bazar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $950 in Chiang Mai and $358 in Bhairab Bazar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $36.31 in Bhairab Bazar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bhairab Bazar, where all-in costs run around $358, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Bhairab Bazar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Bhairab Bazar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.