Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Chittagong

For one person, living is cheaper in Chittagong: $371 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
18

Cost of Living Index in Chittagong
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Chittagong Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Chittagong

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$371

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Chittagong

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Chittagong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $371 in Chittagong, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Chittagong $371

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $626 in Chittagong, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Chittagong $626

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $881 in Chittagong, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Chittagong $881

Chiang Mai costs about 153% more than Chittagong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Chittagong are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Chittagong 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.08 ৳257

8.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$12.17 ৳1,503

57.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$5.37 ৳664

4.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ৳323

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ৳516

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.94 ৳239

-11.34%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.40 ৳48.92

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.11 ৳13.77

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$0.75 ৳93.0

173.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.60 ৳73.9

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$0.63 ৳77.6

103.17%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.16 ৳144

93.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$7.21 ৳891

134.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$2.03 ৳251

34.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$7.22 ৳892

29.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$2.35 ৳291

2.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$0.84 ৳104

20.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.06 ৳255

-21.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.86 ৳106

76.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.44 ৳54.3

190.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.78 ৳96.9

42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.49 ৳60.7

46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.32 ৳39.89

62.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.38 ৳541

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ৳104

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ৳183

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$3.04 ৳376

42.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.21 ৳25.83

304.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$0.80 ৳98.7

46.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$0.58 ৳72.1

-1.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$3.94 ৳487

-39.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.15 ৳142

26.09%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$32.0K ৳4.0M

-36.08%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$45.5K ৳5.6M

-41.70%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$30.32 ৳3,746

105.57%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$5.57 ৳689

120.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$12.57 ৳1,553

58.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$19.87 ৳2,455

90.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$13.88 ৳1,714

-72.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$3.68 ৳455

82.34%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$36.24 ৳4,478

2099.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$1,444 ৳178.4K

927.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$23.22 ৳2,869

129.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$19.79 ৳2,445

26.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$57.1 ৳7,053

60.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$34.68 ৳4,285

111.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$124 ৳15.3K

273.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$60.0 ৳7,418

407.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$268 ৳33.1K

241.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$163 ৳20.1K

239.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$782 ৳96.7K

144.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$462 ৳57.1K

211.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$281 ৳34.7K

112.03%

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: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chittagong: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Chittagong

$60 16.2% 80.3% $245

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Chittagong

$112 30.2% 52.9% $126

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Chittagong

$61 16.3% 44.6% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Chittagong

$48 13.1% 48.8% $46

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Chittagong

$58 15.6% 26.6% $21

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Chittagong

$4.6 * 1.2% 92.6% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Chittagong

$27 7.3% 46.9% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $124 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 112% 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 $12.00 in Chittagong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $112 – making Chittagong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Chittagong

🕒 Local time

02:00 2:00 AM

01:00 1:00 AM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

2,592,439

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Chittagong 840 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Chittagong

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 153% more than Chittagong, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $557 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $12.00 in Chittagong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap 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 $371, than in Chiang Mai at $938. 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 $371 versus $938 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.