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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $358 in Chittagong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $601 in Chittagong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $844 in Chittagong, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 142% more than Chittagong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Chittagong are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Chittagong 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$1.65 ৳203

17.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$14.96 ৳1,835

24.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$7.20 ৳883

8.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 ৳722

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ৳512

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.63 ৳200

19.63%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.36 ৳44.03

136.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.14 ৳16.60

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.78 ৳95.7

119.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.57 ৳70.4

185.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.65 ৳79.2

75.38%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.22 ৳149

58.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.28 ৳1,139

74.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.60 ৳197

95.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.25 ৳889

50.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.24 ৳275

22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.96 ৳118

26.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.10 ৳258

-22.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.80 ৳97.7

98.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.45 ৳54.9

211.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.89 ৳109

31.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.41 ৳49.79

60.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.25 ৳30.41

112.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.59 ৳1,053

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ৳102

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ৳179

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.89 ৳354

62.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.16 ৳20.03

462.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$4.12 ৳505

366.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.79 ৳97.1

78.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.43 ৳52.1

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.50 ৳306

213.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.01 ৳123

25.74%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$33.1K ৳4.1M

-35.63%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$34.3K ৳4.2M

-35.29%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$22.78 ৳2,794

203.20%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$5.77 ৳708

144.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.20 ৳1,619

36.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$15.43 ৳1,892

166.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$11.26 ৳1,381

-38.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.35 ৳410

76.72%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$29.33 ৳3,597

919.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$1,343 ৳164.7K

1013.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$20.49 ৳2,513

166.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$18.22 ৳2,235

46.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$52.0 ৳6,382

63.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$33.34 ৳4,089

111.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$131 ৳16.0K

227.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$59.5 ৳7,294

299.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$243 ৳29.8K

230.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$148 ৳18.2K

248.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$805 ৳98.8K

145.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$462 ৳56.7K

219.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$264 ৳32.4K

134.08%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chittagong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $131 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 134% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Chittagong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $116 – 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 142% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $537 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $29.33 in Chittagong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 113% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $358 in Chittagong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chittagong costs $358 versus $866 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.