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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,144 in Bragadiru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,798 in Bragadiru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $2,453 in Bragadiru.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 25% less than in Bragadiru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bragadiru 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$13.75 RON 59.9

-85.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$68.0 RON 297

-72.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.14 RON 35.51

-2.70%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.29 RON 14.35

-41.95%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.92 RON 8.39

-56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.35 RON 5.89

-74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.24 RON 9.77

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.17 RON 13.80

19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.76 RON 7.67

-6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.25 RON 5.44

29.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.93 RON 8.41

-38.86%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.41 RON 14.87

-41.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.35 RON 40.77

69.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$7.05 RON 30.75

-57.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.41 RON 49.74

-5.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.42 RON 6.18

83.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.73 RON 7.53

-29.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.76 RON 7.65

-3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.53 RON 11.02

-37.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.05 RON 4.57

25.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.11 RON 4.84

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.04 RON 4.53

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.89 RON 3.87

-37.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.41 RON 27.93

-29.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.29 RON 31.77

149.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.13 RON 4.93

61.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.99 RON 8.67

62.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.72 RON 3.13

23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$19.60 RON 85.5

-1.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.72 RON 3.12

87.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.61 RON 2.67

121.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.90 RON 30.07

19.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.68 RON 7.33

-24.40%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$29.3K RON 127.6K

-27.70%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.9K RON 130.5K

-24.89%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$182 RON 795

-61.53%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$7.93 RON 34.56

73.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$9.03 RON 39.37

94.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.65 RON 182

-0.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$18.83 RON 82.1

-64.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$8.17 RON 35.63

-29.25%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$558 RON 2,433

-45.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,220 RON 35.8K

80.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$79.4 RON 346

-31.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$45.24 RON 197

-42.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$89.0 RON 388

-5.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$80.7 RON 352

-13.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$388 RON 1,693

9.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$290 RON 1,265

-17.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$585 RON 2,550

41.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$431 RON 1,879

19.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,792 RON 7,812

14.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,374 RON 5,992

10.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,189 RON 5,184

-46.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

-26.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bragadiru: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $388 in Bragadiru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bragadiru pays 87% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $68.0 in Bragadiru. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $230, with Bragadiru cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bragadiru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bragadiru earns 87% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $388 in Bragadiru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 1% less than in Bragadiru. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $558 in Bragadiru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,144 in Bragadiru, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bragadiru. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bragadiru 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Bragadiru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.