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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $528 in Birjand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $836 in Birjand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,143 in Birjand, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 64% more than Birjand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Birjand are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Birjand 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.96 $3.96

-51.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$16.93 $16.93

10.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.60 $4.60

70.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.16 $1.16

68.10%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.43 $0.43

97.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.94 $0.94

-62.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.62 $0.62

175.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.52 $0.52

213.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.91 $1.91

-40.31%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.15 $1.15

67.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.45 $3.45

369.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.30 $3.30

-5.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.10 $10.10

7.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.86 $0.86

219.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.37 $1.37

-11.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.81 $0.81

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.58 $0.58

174.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.52 $0.52

169.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.49 $0.49

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.60 $0.60

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.23 $0.23

130.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.54 $0.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 $0.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.18 $2.18

115.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

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 ฿29.26

$0.19 $0.19

373.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$9.81 $9.81

95.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.34 $0.34

314.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.27 $0.27

377.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.96 $1.96

300.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.72 $0.72

76.39%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$72.7K $72.7K

-70.72%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$54.6K $54.6K

-59.31%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$15.45 $15.45

347.06%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$2.03 $2.03

593.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$5.73 $5.73

214.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$15.75 $15.75

160.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.67 $12.67

-45.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$1.47 $1.47

302.72%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$114 $114

162.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,000 $2,000

647.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$22.25 $22.25

145.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$25.11 $25.11

6.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$112 $112

-24.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$69.3 $69.3

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$282 $282

51.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$200 $200

18.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$630 $630

27.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$315 $315

63.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,044 $1,044

89.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$646 $646

128.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.24

-77.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Birjand: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $282 in Birjand. 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 $17.00 in Birjand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $107 – making Birjand 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 Birjand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $528 in Birjand – roughly 64% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $792 in Birjand. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 130% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $17.00 in Birjand. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $528 in Birjand, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $528 in Birjand to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Birjand. 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.