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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $354 in Chittagong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $611 in Chittagong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $868 in Chittagong, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 143% more than Chittagong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Chittagong are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Chittagong 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.62 ৳200

20.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$14.86 ৳1,832

23.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.23 ৳891

3.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 ৳720

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ৳515

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.68 ৳208

20.24%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.39 ৳47.50

117.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.17 ৳20.72

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.75 ৳91.9

120.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.57 ৳70.6

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.64 ৳79.3

85.94%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.18 ৳145

64.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.04 ৳1,114

79.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$1.68 ৳207

77.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.44 ৳917

47.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.18 ৳269

24.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.95 ৳117

23.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.06 ৳254

-17.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.86 ৳106

86.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.44 ৳54.1

213.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.85 ৳104

41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.37 ৳46.01

81.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.27 ৳33.54

107.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.45 ৳1,042

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ৳104

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ৳187

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.90 ৳357

60.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.14 ৳17.09

528.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$4.08 ৳504

374.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.86 ৳105

58.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.43 ৳52.4

211.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.50 ৳308

228.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.00 ৳124

22.00%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.2K ৳4.1M

-35.65%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.2K ৳4.2M

-34.05%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$23.04 ৳2,841

206.73%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$5.60 ৳691

150.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$12.98 ৳1,601

34.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$15.36 ৳1,894

174.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$11.32 ৳1,395

-39.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.27 ৳403

81.04%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$29.29 ৳3,612

953.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,342 ৳165.5K

1008.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$20.70 ৳2,552

169.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$18.72 ৳2,308

39.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$51.1 ৳6,295

62.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$33.32 ৳4,108

111.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$129 ৳15.9K

235.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$59.5 ৳7,341

301.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$250 ৳30.9K

228.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$149 ৳18.4K

242.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$794 ৳97.8K

141.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$473 ৳58.4K

209.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$282 ৳34.8K

105.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

-57.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chittagong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $129 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 105% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Chittagong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $115 – 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 143% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $531 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $29.29 in Chittagong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 111% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $354 in Chittagong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chittagong costs $354 versus $861 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.