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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,135 in Bragadiru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,777 in Bragadiru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,420 in Bragadiru.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 18% less than in Bragadiru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bragadiru 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$13.50 RON 61.8

-84.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$61.9 RON 284

-68.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.72 RON 35.38

-26.55%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.45 RON 15.82

-47.54%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.82 RON 8.33

-57.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.31 RON 6.01

-73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.16 RON 9.90

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.41 RON 15.62

11.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.74 RON 7.95

17.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.26 RON 5.78

19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.79 RON 8.19

-21.79%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.16 RON 14.46

-28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$8.99 RON 41.17

80.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$6.97 RON 31.92

-58.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$9.28 RON 42.50

1.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.32 RON 6.03

103.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.67 RON 7.64

-34.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.65 RON 7.56

-1.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.67 RON 12.23

-45.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.94 RON 4.32

36.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.02 RON 4.68

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.05 RON 4.80

-31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.97 RON 4.46

-45.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.82 RON 31.24

-37.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$6.66 RON 30.52

174.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.09 RON 4.98

49.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.82 RON 8.32

59.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.75 RON 3.44

17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$22.71 RON 104

136.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.64 RON 2.91

82.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.67 RON 3.07

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$6.51 RON 29.81

-63.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.95 RON 8.92

-25.64%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$29.8K RON 136.5K

-29.47%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$27.7K RON 126.8K

-4.57%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$175 RON 801

-63.59%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.16 RON 37.40

57.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$8.55 RON 39.17

140.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$40.05 RON 183

-2.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$21.02 RON 96.3

-81.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.03 RON 32.19

-6.40%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$587 RON 2,688

33.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,220 RON 33.1K

103.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$95.9 RON 439

-42.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$44.03 RON 202

-43.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$92.6 RON 424

1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$89.4 RON 409

-17.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$401 RON 1,836

22.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$302 RON 1,383

-4.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$624 RON 2,857

42.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$474 RON 2,170

10.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,892 RON 8,666

4.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,380 RON 6,320

4.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,119 RON 5,126

-46.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.82

-18.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bragadiru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $401 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $62.0 in Bragadiru. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $219, 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 22% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $401 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 137% less than in Bragadiru. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $587 in Bragadiru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,135 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 22% less than in Bragadiru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.