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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $370 in Chittagong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $628 in Chittagong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $887 in Chittagong, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 156% more than Chittagong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Chittagong are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Chittagong 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$2.07 ৳254

0.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$12.43 ৳1,523

58.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$5.26 ৳645

7.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 ৳333

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ৳511

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.91 ৳234

-5.24%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.39 ৳48.00

82.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.14 ৳17.15

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.79 ৳97.1

148.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$0.56 ৳68.2

167.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$0.66 ৳81.2

103.03%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$1.12 ৳137

101.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$7.33 ৳898

121.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$2.04 ৳250

44.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$7.48 ৳917

32.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$2.38 ৳291

7.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$0.84 ৳103

26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.07 ৳254

-22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$0.85 ৳105

78.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.44 ৳53.7

188.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.83 ৳102

28.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.49 ৳60.5

46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.31 ৳37.68

64.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.88 ৳1,088

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ৳95.2

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ৳175

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.02 ৳370

38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$0.23 ৳28.24

304.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$4.03 ৳493

1236.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$0.78 ৳95.0

57.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.55 ৳67.5

5.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$3.99 ৳489

-39.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.10 ৳135

28.18%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$33.1K ৳4.1M

-35.24%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$45.0K ৳5.5M

-39.31%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$30.46 ৳3,733

109.03%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$5.37 ৳658

139.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$12.62 ৳1,546

60.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$19.92 ৳2,440

94.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$14.33 ৳1,756

-72.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$3.70 ৳453

82.16%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$35.85 ৳4,393

2069.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$1,455 ৳178.2K

904.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$22.84 ৳2,798

137.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$19.75 ৳2,420

28.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$57.5 ৳7,043

64.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$34.77 ৳4,260

111.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$125 ৳15.3K

292.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$60.1 ৳7,368

381.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$258 ৳31.6K

246.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$168 ৳20.5K

208.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$784 ৳96.0K

149.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$461 ৳56.5K

220.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$283 ৳34.6K

112.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.5

-51.57%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chittagong: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $125 in Chittagong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 113% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Chittagong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $113 – making Chittagong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chittagong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 156% more than Chittagong, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $555 in Chittagong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chittagong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $35.85 in Chittagong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 112% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chittagong, where all-in costs run around $370, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Chittagong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chittagong costs $370 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chittagong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.