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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $352 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $592 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $831 in Bhairab Bazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 146% more than Bhairab Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Bhairab Bazar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bhairab Bazar 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$1.67 ৳205

16.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$14.57 ৳1,788

27.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$7.41 ৳909

5.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 ৳722

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ৳510

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.68 ৳206

16.07%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.39 ৳47.40

117.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.14 ৳16.72

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.74 ৳91.4

131.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.62 ৳75.9

162.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.64 ৳79.0

78.12%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.21 ৳148

59.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.35 ৳1,148

73.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.60 ৳197

95.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.21 ৳885

51.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.20 ৳270

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.99 ৳122

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.14 ৳262

-24.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.79 ৳97.3

101.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.44 ৳54.1

218.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.88 ৳108

32.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.40 ৳49.11

65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.25 ৳30.42

112.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.61 ৳1,056

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ৳104

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ৳178

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.91 ৳358

61.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.22 ৳27.00

309.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.29 ৳1,262

86.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.86 ৳105

63.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.26 ৳31.91

396.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.49 ৳305

214.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.04 ৳128

22.12%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$32.8K ৳4.0M

-35.21%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$34.0K ৳4.2M

-34.67%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$22.88 ৳2,807

201.88%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$5.87 ৳721

139.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.05 ৳1,601

37.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$13.34 ৳1,636

207.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$11.70 ৳1,435

-40.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.19 ৳391

85.58%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$29.70 ৳3,644

906.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$1,358 ৳166.6K

1000.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$20.31 ৳2,492

169.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$18.40 ৳2,257

45.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$52.5 ৳6,444

61.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$33.09 ৳4,060

113.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$69.1 ৳8,472

520.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$41.50 ৳5,091

471.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$163 ৳20.0K

390.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$97.8 ৳12.0K

426.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$697 ৳85.5K

183.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bhairab Bazar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $69.1 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Bhairab Bazar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $116 – 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 146%, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $529 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 $19.00 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $352 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $352 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.