Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cox's Bazar Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cox's Bazar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $353 in Cox's Bazar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $567 in Cox's Bazar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $780 in Cox's Bazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 169% more than Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Cox's Bazar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cox's Bazar 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$1.60 ৳197

31.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$12.45 ৳1,529

59.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$2.98 ৳366

94.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ৳323

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ৳302

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.00 ৳246

-8.50%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.39 ৳47.93

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.11 ৳13.10

181.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.76 ৳92.8

167.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.51 ৳62.4

213.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.63 ৳76.9

125.40%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.05 ৳128

107.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$7.43 ৳913

114.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$2.08 ৳255

47.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.44 ৳914

32.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.34 ৳288

12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.86 ৳105

27.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.66 ৳204

-1.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.52 ৳63.6

194.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.43 ৳53.1

188.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.57 ৳70.1

98.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.47 ৳57.8

57.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.31 ৳37.49

61.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.92 ৳972

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 ৳312

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 ৳551

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.84 ৳226

132.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.28 ৳33.96

339.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.39 ৳47.43

35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$4.12 ৳506

-41.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.07 ৳131

34.58%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$33.0K ৳4.1M

-35.74%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$34.9K ৳4.3M

-21.66%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$12.23 ৳1,503

430.91%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$2.67 ৳328

400.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$11.16 ৳1,371

86.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$16.10 ৳1,978

151.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$4.17 ৳512

-5.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$2.33 ৳286

187.98%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$24.12 ৳2,962

3162.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$1,483 ৳182.2K

919.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$23.36 ৳2,869

140.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$18.44 ৳2,265

35.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$32.38 ৳3,978

186.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$35.45 ৳4,355

111.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$165 ৳20.3K

192.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$97.6 ৳12.0K

194.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$303 ৳37.2K

200.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$162 ৳19.9K

227.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$354 ৳43.5K

458.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$258 ৳31.7K

461.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$288 ৳35.4K

109.83%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $165 in Cox's Bazar. 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 110% 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 Cox's Bazar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $108 – making Cox's Bazar 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 Cox's Bazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 169% more than Cox's Bazar, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $530 in Cox's Bazar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cox's Bazar, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $12.00 in Cox's Bazar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 124% 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 Cox's Bazar, where all-in costs run around $353, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Cox's Bazar 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. Cox's Bazar costs $353 versus $950 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 Cox's Bazar. 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.