😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $556 in Braslav.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $928 in Braslav.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,301 in Braslav.
😐Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 56% more expensive than Braslav, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai35% lower, Braslav59% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Braslav
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94฿63.6
$9.10BYN 25.58
-78.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.64฿609
$30.81BYN 86.6
-39.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.82฿256
$5.57BYN 15.65
40.39%
Cappuccino
$1.95฿63.9
$1.75BYN 4.93
11.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85฿27.80
$0.64BYN 1.81
32.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.60
$0.43BYN 1.20
-18.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.13฿69.7
$1.26BYN 3.54
69.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿122
$2.08BYN 5.84
79.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Braslav
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71฿56.0
$0.80BYN 2.23
113.75%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.3
$0.62BYN 1.74
162.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14฿37.18
$1.22BYN 3.42
-6.56%
Eggs
$1.93฿63.2
$1.34BYN 3.77
44.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.21฿530
$6.68BYN 18.77
142.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.12฿102
$4.24BYN 11.92
-26.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.90฿356
$7.79BYN 21.90
39.92%
Apples(1kg)
$2.75฿90.1
$1.16BYN 3.25
137.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21฿39.56
$1.76BYN 4.94
-31.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿53.0
$1.85BYN 5.19
-12.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.9
$2.56BYN 7.20
-37.89%
Potato(1kg)
$1.40฿45.75
$0.46BYN 1.29
204.35%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.20
$0.58BYN 1.62
101.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66฿21.62
$1.30BYN 3.64
-49.23%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.24
$0.55BYN 1.53
-3.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.69฿153
$1.82BYN 5.12
157.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.66฿610
$8.92BYN 25.06
109.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.8
$0.99BYN 2.77
81.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$1.80BYN 5.05
79.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Braslav
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90฿29.28
$0.28BYN 0.78
221.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.21฿628
$12.64BYN 35.52
51.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41฿45.96
$1.40BYN 3.92
0.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.29฿42.16
$0.30BYN 0.83
330.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿256
$5.91BYN 16.60
32.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.62
$0.74BYN 2.09
71.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K฿695.5K
$20.1KBYN 56.4K
5.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K฿726.1K
$24.3KBYN 68.4K
-8.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Braslav
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.1฿2,258
$53.7BYN 151
28.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.08฿460
$7.35BYN 20.65
91.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.00฿588
$10.60BYN 29.78
69.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Braslav
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.06฿1,342
$30.23BYN 85.0
35.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿227
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.92฿193
$4.62BYN 12.98
28.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Braslav
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299฿9,775
$305BYN 858
-2.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0K฿488.8K
$10.2KBYN 28.8K
45.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Braslav
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7฿1,788
$50.5BYN 142
8.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.77฿875
$42.17BYN 119
-36.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.0฿2,778
$115BYN 323
-26.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.6฿2,308
$97.1BYN 273
-27.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Braslav
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$428฿14.0K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$237฿7,759
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$801฿26.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,975฿64.5K
$1,255BYN 3,528
57.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,475฿48.2K
$976BYN 2,743
51.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Braslav
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$617฿20.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
14.77
-66.15%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026
Last update for Braslav: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $31.00 in Braslav. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $166, with Braslav 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 Braslav: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Braslav?
Braslav wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Braslav the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Braslav?
You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $834 in Braslav to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Braslav?
Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai vs Braslav?
Dining out is cheaper in Braslav – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or Braslav?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Braslav gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Braslav?
Both work as nomad bases, but Braslav delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $556 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Braslav hard to pass up.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Braslav?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Braslav are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Braslav gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared