Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bhairab Bazar

For one person, living is cheaper in Bhairab Bazar: $355 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
17

Cost of Living Index in Bhairab Bazar
Learn more

Bhairab Bazar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Bhairab Bazar

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$355

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Bhairab Bazar

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $355 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Bhairab Bazar $355

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $576 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Bhairab Bazar $576

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $797 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Bhairab Bazar $797

Chiang Mai costs about 163% more than Bhairab Bazar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

$2.13 ฿71.9

$1.98 ৳246

7.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$12.22 ৳1,515

52.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$5.10 ৳633

9.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 ৳334

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 ৳493

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.96 ৳243

-15.31%

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

$0.65 ฿21.80

$0.36 ৳44.39

80.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.28

$0.13 ৳16.45

130.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.9

$0.81 ৳101

149.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.45

$0.58 ৳72.3

143.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.90

$0.66 ৳81.8

110.61%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.8

$1.10 ৳137

115.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$7.50 ৳930

120.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.0

$2.03 ৳252

31.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$7.47 ৳926

20.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.8

$2.35 ৳291

2.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.09

$0.88 ৳109

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.99 ৳247

-16.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

$0.81 ৳101

92.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.71

$0.44 ৳54.5

181.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.62

$0.85 ৳105

28.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.67

$0.46 ৳57.0

65.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.33

$0.32 ৳40.16

59.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.26 ৳529

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ৳102

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ৳185

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$3.00 ৳372

37.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿604

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.49

$0.39 ৳47.89

138.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,782

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.65

$0.80 ৳98.7

47.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$0.53 ৳66.2

-67.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$2.89 ৳358

-37.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.63

$1.15 ৳143

27.83%

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

$21.0K ฿708.1K

$32.5K ৳4.0M

-35.36%

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

$26.5K ฿893.6K

$44.2K ৳5.5M

-40.04%

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

$62.6 ฿2,108

$29.49 ৳3,657

112.14%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$5.39 ৳669

115.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿684

$12.44 ৳1,542

63.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,277

$13.73 ৳1,702

175.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$3.65 ৳452

78.36%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$35.42 ৳4,392

1952.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿558.5K

$1,461 ৳181.2K

1034.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,804

$22.96 ৳2,847

133.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$19.21 ৳2,382

29.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,046

$55.5 ৳6,881

62.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,425

$34.34 ৳4,259

109.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$89.6 ৳11.1K

437.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$51.9 ৳6,435

497.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$169 ৳21.0K

525.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$117 ৳14.5K

462.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

$696 ৳86.3K

247.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bhairab Bazar: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Bhairab Bazar

$52 14.6% 83.3% $258

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Bhairab Bazar

$114 32.1% 51.9% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Bhairab Bazar

$59 16.7% 45.2% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Bhairab Bazar

$47 13.3% 49.9% $47

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Bhairab Bazar

$57 16% 26% $20

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Bhairab Bazar

$5 * 1.4% 91.5% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Bhairab Bazar

$21 5.9% 58.7% $30

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $89 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 $19 in Chiang Mai versus $12 in Bhairab Bazar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $113 – making Bhairab Bazar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Bhairab Bazar

🕒 Local time

18:19 6:19 PM

17:19 5:19 PM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

105,457

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.06 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 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 = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.06 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Bhairab Bazar 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Bhairab Bazar

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 Bhairab Bazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 163%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $533 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $89 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $355 in Bhairab Bazar. That makes Bhairab Bazar about 62% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $36 in Bhairab Bazar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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.