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 $1,161 in Bragadiru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,802 in Bragadiru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $2,442 in Bragadiru.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 27% less than in Bragadiru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bragadiru 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$13.74 RON 62.5

-85.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$67.7 RON 308

-72.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.04 RON 36.53

-2.24%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.43 RON 15.57

-40.82%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.97 RON 8.97

-59.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.29 RON 5.88

-72.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.34 RON 10.64

-8.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.17 RON 14.42

15.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.76 RON 7.99

-1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.30 RON 5.91

20.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.85 RON 8.40

-35.14%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.36 RON 15.28

-41.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.53 RON 43.33

70.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.12 RON 32.37

-57.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.43 RON 52.0

-5.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.41 RON 6.39

96.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.77 RON 8.06

-33.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.84 RON 8.36

-7.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.48 RON 11.29

-35.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.05 RON 4.76

32.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.15 RON 5.22

0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.94 RON 4.28

-29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.95 RON 4.34

-45.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.30 RON 28.65

-26.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.56 RON 29.83

171.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.18 RON 5.37

51.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.99 RON 9.04

67.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.68 RON 3.07

33.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$19.99 RON 90.9

-6.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.72 RON 3.26

95.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.64 RON 2.91

109.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.99 RON 31.80

16.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.69 RON 7.70

-27.22%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$29.1K RON 132.4K

-26.41%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$29.7K RON 135.0K

-26.52%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$182 RON 828

-60.82%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.10 RON 36.81

72.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.04 RON 41.09

98.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$41.07 RON 187

-0.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$18.99 RON 86.3

-63.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.96 RON 36.20

-28.14%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$543 RON 2,470

-43.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,450 RON 38.4K

73.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$80.9 RON 368

-31.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$45.77 RON 208

-43.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$91.2 RON 414

-6.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$80.5 RON 366

-11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$395 RON 1,795

7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$293 RON 1,331

-17.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$589 RON 2,677

35.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$439 RON 1,996

15.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,960 RON 8,911

-2.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,427 RON 6,486

2.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,104 RON 5,019

-46.10%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bragadiru: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $395 in Bragadiru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bragadiru pays 86% 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 $244 vs $231, 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 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Bragadiru. 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $395 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 7% less than in Bragadiru. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $543 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 $1,161 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 36% less than in Bragadiru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.