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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $860 in Cazin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,261 in Cazin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,662 in Cazin.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 1% more expensive than Cazin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Cazin 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$4.85 BAM 8.17

-60.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$23.62 BAM 39.80

-21.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$8.75 BAM 14.73

-10.63%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.20 BAM 2.02

62.50%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.86 BAM 3.13

-54.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$1.31 BAM 2.21

-73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.66 BAM 2.79

28.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.40 BAM 4.04

55.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.26 BAM 2.13

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.14 BAM 1.91

42.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$2.15 BAM 3.61

-46.98%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.14 BAM 3.61

-9.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.53 BAM 17.74

53.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.42 BAM 12.50

-57.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.12 BAM 22.10

-16.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.54 BAM 2.59

78.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.81 BAM 3.05

-33.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.68 BAM 2.83

-3.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.76 BAM 2.96

-9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.13 BAM 1.91

23.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.16 BAM 1.96

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.21 BAM 2.05

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.80 BAM 1.36

-33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.57 BAM 6.02

31.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$8.32 BAM 14.01

124.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.10 BAM 1.85

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.11 BAM 1.86

190.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$1.80 BAM 3.03

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$36.39 BAM 61.3

-47.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.49 BAM 2.50

-5.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.84 BAM 1.41

53.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.97 BAM 15.12

-12.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.50 BAM 2.53

-15.33%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$24.4K BAM 41.1K

-12.69%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$26.0K BAM 43.8K

-14.47%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$117 BAM 196

-40.74%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$18.90 BAM 31.84

-25.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$29.71 BAM 50.1

-39.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$25.27 BAM 42.57

62.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$10.86 BAM 18.29

-35.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.44 BAM 7.48

33.33%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$252 BAM 424

18.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$3,348 BAM 5,641

346.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$41.88 BAM 70.6

30.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$29.03 BAM 48.92

-7.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$49.48 BAM 83.4

71.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$79.3 BAM 134

-10.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$240 BAM 404

78.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$180 BAM 303

31.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$372 BAM 627

115.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$283 BAM 477

82.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,314 BAM 2,213

50.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,176 BAM 1,982

25.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$730 BAM 1,229

-15.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

31.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cazin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $240 in Cazin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cazin pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $24.00 in Cazin. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $228, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $860 including rent). Cazin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Cazin earns 18% less. 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: $428 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $860 in Cazin – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Cazin gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 1% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.