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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $346 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $574 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $803 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 149% more than Bhairab Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Bhairab Bazar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bhairab Bazar 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.62 ৳200

20.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$14.94 ৳1,842

22.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.30 ৳900

2.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 ৳717

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ৳514

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.62 ৳199

24.69%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.39 ৳47.51

117.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.14 ৳17.29

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.79 ৳96.9

108.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.62 ৳76.3

153.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.61 ৳75.1

95.08%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.16 ৳143

67.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.93 ৳1,101

81.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$1.61 ৳198

85.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.35 ৳906

48.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.29 ৳282

18.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.95 ৳117

23.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.06 ৳254

-17.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.85 ৳105

88.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.48 ৳59.3

187.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.84 ৳104

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.37 ৳45.85

81.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.25 ৳30.49

124.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.67 ৳1,069

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ৳96.2

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ৳185

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.82 ৳348

64.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.22 ৳27.13

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$10.20 ৳1,258

89.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.85 ৳105

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.24 ৳29.58

458.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.44 ৳301

236.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.01 ৳124

20.79%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.0K ৳4.1M

-35.22%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.7K ৳4.3M

-34.98%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$22.33 ৳2,753

216.48%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$5.69 ৳702

146.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$13.01 ৳1,604

34.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$13.49 ৳1,663

212.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$11.88 ৳1,465

-42.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.36 ৳414

76.19%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$29.30 ৳3,612

953.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,342 ৳165.4K

1008.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$20.82 ৳2,567

167.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$18.23 ৳2,248

43.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$51.8 ৳6,389

60.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$33.70 ৳4,155

109.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$70.9 ৳8,744

509.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$41.40 ৳5,104

477.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$163 ৳20.1K

404.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$96.7 ৳11.9K

429.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$708 ৳87.3K

170.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

-57.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bhairab Bazar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $70.9 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Bhairab Bazar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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 149%, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $518 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $15.00 in Bhairab Bazar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Chiang Mai and $346 in Bhairab Bazar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $346 in Bhairab Bazar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.