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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $931 in Brcko.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,369 in Brcko.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,807 in Brcko.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 2% more expensive than in Brcko, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Brcko 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.0

$7.14 BAM 11.99

-70.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿653

$38.85 BAM 65.3

-48.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.22 BAM 12.13

-19.81%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.67 BAM 2.81

9.58%

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

$0.78 ฿25.51

$1.72 BAM 2.88

-54.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.33

$1.21 BAM 2.04

-74.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿76.9

$0.85 BAM 1.43

175.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.40 BAM 4.03

54.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿66.8

$1.51 BAM 2.53

34.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.5

$1.17 BAM 1.97

36.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.57

$2.33 BAM 3.91

-39.06%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.6

$2.96 BAM 4.98

-26.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿523

$9.97 BAM 16.75

59.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿101

$7.38 BAM 12.39

-58.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿325

$13.61 BAM 22.86

-27.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.4

$1.21 BAM 2.03

117.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.05

$1.87 BAM 3.14

-41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.6

$1.94 BAM 3.25

-15.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.4

$1.76 BAM 2.96

-13.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.97

$0.84 BAM 1.41

47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.22

$0.75 BAM 1.26

50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.29

$0.92 BAM 1.55

-19.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.42

$1.03 BAM 1.72

-51.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.22 BAM 5.41

32.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿591

$8.05 BAM 13.52

123.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$1.37 BAM 2.29

24.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.3

$2.42 BAM 4.06

19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.00

$1.21 BAM 2.03

-22.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,820

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.60

$1.22 BAM 2.04

0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.58 BAM 0.97

-8.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.0

$10.63 BAM 17.85

-77.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.37

$1.50 BAM 2.53

-4.00%

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

$21.2K ฿697.5K

$32.3K BAM 54.3K

-34.41%

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

$27.3K ฿898.6K

$22.7K BAM 38.2K

20.14%

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

$64.9 ฿2,137

$126 BAM 211

-48.35%

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

$13.35 ฿439

$12.02 BAM 20.18

11.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿686

$28.62 BAM 48.07

-27.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,330

$26.46 BAM 44.44

52.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿221

$5.54 BAM 9.30

21.12%

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

$787 ฿25.9K

$155 BAM 260

408.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿497.7K

$14.1K BAM 23.7K

7.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,850

$23.77 BAM 39.92

136.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿821

$17.88 BAM 30.03

39.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,051

$88.3 BAM 148

4.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,472

$88.1 BAM 148

-14.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿15.9K

$351 BAM 589

37.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,454

$267 BAM 449

7.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿29.9K

$543 BAM 913

67.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$350 BAM 588

51.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.2K

$1,539 BAM 2,585

28.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.8K

$1,216 BAM 2,042

19.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿19.9K

$501 BAM 841

20.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.3

29.53%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brcko: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $351 in Brcko. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 21% 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 $39.00 in Brcko. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $237, with Brcko 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 Brcko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brcko is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $351 in Brcko. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $155 in Brcko. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Brcko – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $931 in Brcko versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Brcko but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Brcko the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Brcko 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 Brcko gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.