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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $861 in Cazin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,277 in Cazin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,693 in Cazin.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 8% more expensive than in Cazin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Cazin 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.81 BAM 8.20

-56.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$23.70 BAM 40.40

-17.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.67 BAM 14.79

-34.60%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.16 BAM 1.98

56.03%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.91 BAM 3.26

-59.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.32 BAM 2.25

-73.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.59 BAM 2.71

38.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.59 BAM 4.41

46.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.21 BAM 2.07

69.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.18 BAM 2.01

27.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.27 BAM 3.88

-38.33%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.14 BAM 3.65

5.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$10.49 BAM 17.88

54.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$7.11 BAM 12.12

-59.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$14.74 BAM 25.12

-36.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.54 BAM 2.63

74.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.70 BAM 2.90

-35.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.76 BAM 2.99

-7.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.73 BAM 2.96

-15.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.04 BAM 1.77

23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.23 BAM 2.10

-13.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.10 BAM 1.87

-34.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.76 BAM 1.30

-30.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.97 BAM 6.76

6.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$8.32 BAM 14.19

119.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.92 BAM 1.57

77.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.13 BAM 1.92

156.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.73 BAM 2.95

-49.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$36.96 BAM 63.0

45.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.81 BAM 3.09

-35.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.92 BAM 1.57

-36.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$8.72 BAM 14.86

-72.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.58 BAM 2.70

-8.23%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$24.1K BAM 41.1K

-12.87%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$23.8K BAM 40.6K

10.91%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$117 BAM 199

-45.54%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$14.53 BAM 24.77

-11.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$29.17 BAM 49.73

-29.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$24.81 BAM 42.30

57.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$29.32 BAM 49.98

-86.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$4.33 BAM 7.39

51.96%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$213 BAM 363

268.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$3,982 BAM 6,788

268.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$41.87 BAM 71.4

31.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$29.48 BAM 50.3

-16.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$49.88 BAM 85.0

88.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$80.8 BAM 138

-8.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$240 BAM 409

104.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$175 BAM 299

64.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$373 BAM 636

138.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$283 BAM 482

84.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,336 BAM 2,277

47.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,185 BAM 2,020

21.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$737 BAM 1,257

-18.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.08

36.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cazin: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $240 in Cazin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cazin pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $24.00 in Cazin. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $229, with Cazin 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 Cazin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Cazin differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $861 including rent). Cazin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Cazin. 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 $240 in Cazin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cazin – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $861 in Cazin – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Cazin versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cazin but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Cazin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Cazin 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 Cazin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.