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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $297 in Bogra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $491 in Bogra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $684 in Bogra.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 219% more expensive than in Bogra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bogra 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$1.44 ৳177

44.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$3.95 ৳484

397.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$4.67 ৳572

20.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ৳482

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ৳496

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.39 ৳170

30.22%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.28 ৳34.58

153.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.15 ৳18.83

113.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.56 ৳68.8

250.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$0.51 ৳63.0

194.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$0.60 ৳73.7

123.33%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$1.11 ৳136

103.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$8.27 ৳1,014

96.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$2.38 ৳292

23.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$6.21 ৳761

60.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$2.49 ৳306

3.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$0.79 ৳97.0

34.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.45 ৳300

-34.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$0.50 ৳61.7

204.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.25 ৳30.67

408.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.45 ৳55.0

137.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.08 ৳9.67

800.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.23 ৳28.11

121.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.61 ৳1,177

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.01 ৳492

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 ৳794

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.63 ৳322

59.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$0.51 ৳62.1

82.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$1.24 ৳152

-0.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.39 ৳47.79

48.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$1.20 ৳147

101.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.06 ৳130

33.02%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$29.8K ৳3.6M

-27.99%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$29.3K ৳3.6M

-6.78%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$26.28 ৳3,219

142.28%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$4.01 ৳491

220.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$11.90 ৳1,458

69.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$12.15 ৳1,489

218.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$2.43 ৳297

177.37%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$27.62 ৳3,385

2716.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$482 ৳59.0K

2932.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$17.11 ৳2,096

217.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$20.00 ৳2,450

27.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$50.5 ৳6,193

86.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$36.14 ৳4,427

103.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$75.3 ৳9,223

550.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$30.36 ৳3,720

852.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$137 ৳16.8K

551.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$84.7 ৳10.4K

510.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$516 ৳63.2K

278.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$308 ৳37.7K

379.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$231 ৳28.4K

160.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.44

-46.65%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bogra: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $75.3 in Bogra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 160% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $4.00 in Bogra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $107 per month, with Bogra 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 Bogra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bogra is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 219% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 160% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $75.3 in Bogra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 124% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Chiang Mai versus $297 in Bogra – a 219% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $297 in Bogra versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bogra but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bogra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bogra 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 Bogra 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 Bogra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 219% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.