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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $724 in Brades.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,915 in Brades.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $3,107 in Brades.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 19% more expensive than in Brades, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Brades 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$18.76 EC$50.6

-89.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$48.73 EC$132

-62.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.31 EC$19.74

2.33%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$6.43 EC$17.37

-68.58%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$2.45 EC$6.60

-65.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.41 EC$3.80

-74.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.56 EC$6.92

-16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.48 EC$12.11

-19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$3.34 EC$9.03

-50.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.90 EC$7.83

-45.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$7.02 EC$18.96

-72.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$5.91 EC$15.94

173.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$9.47 EC$25.56

-68.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$24.30 EC$65.6

-54.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.35 EC$9.04

-19.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$4.31 EC$11.64

-62.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.21 EC$5.96

-45.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$5.26 EC$14.19

-87.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$22.53 EC$60.8

-21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.34 EC$11.71

-23.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$1.87 EC$5.05

-52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$22.1K EC$59.6K

-3.26%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$16.9K EC$45.6K

33.38%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

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

$14.04 ฿472

$41.33 EC$112

-66.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$55.7 EC$150

-24.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,304 EC$3,520

-36.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,304 EC$3,521

-60.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,271 EC$3,432

-54.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Brades: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Brades pays 119% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $49.00 in Brades for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $346 per month, with Chiang Mai 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 Brades: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brades wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brades the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 119% lower in Brades. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $724 in Brades – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Chiang Mai pay roughly 42% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Brades gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Brades delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $724 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brades hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Brades 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 Brades gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.