Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Binjai Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Binjai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $630 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $999 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,368 in Binjai.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 48% more expensive than in Binjai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Binjai 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

11.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$13.39 Rp 237.1K

46.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.68 Rp 65.1K

54.08%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

20.67%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.42 Rp 7,358

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.21 Rp 3,645

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

-11.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.75 Rp 66.3K

1.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

78.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

94.44%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

75.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$6.58 Rp 116.5K

146.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.74 Rp 48.6K

5.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.08 Rp 143.1K

16.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.15 Rp 38.0K

24.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

-22.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

10.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

11.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.22 Rp 21.6K

4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-39.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.85 Rp 15.1K

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.37 Rp 6,537

43.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.83 Rp 50.1K

49.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$21.70 Rp 384.2K

-15.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

-12.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.64 Rp 46.7K

9.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.25 Rp 4,483

252.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.56 Rp 9,978

108.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.30 Rp 5,244

93.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

-10.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

85.90%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$26.2K Rp 464.1M

-19.84%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$27.8K Rp 491.5M

-4.81%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

-8.21%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$4.25 Rp 75.3K

203.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$19.66 Rp 348.1K

4.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$19.67 Rp 348.2K

98.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$7.88 Rp 139.6K

-50.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$3.16 Rp 55.9K

108.23%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

751.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,718 Rp 136.7M

90.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$39.81 Rp 704.9K

38.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$25.09 Rp 444.2K

-1.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$70.1 Rp 1.2M

34.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$64.3 Rp 1.1M

15.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$248 Rp 4.4M

98.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$141 Rp 2.5M

104.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$645 Rp 11.4M

38.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$381 Rp 6.7M

36.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,248 Rp 22.1M

58.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$579 Rp 10.2M

149.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.46

-41.12%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Binjai: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $248 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $13.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $194 per month, with Binjai cheaper across the board.

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 Binjai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $945 in Binjai 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $248 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $630 in Binjai – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Binjai versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Binjai but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Binjai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Binjai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Binjai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.