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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $416 in Dhaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $705 in Dhaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $995 in Dhaka, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 107% more than Dhaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dhaka are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dhaka 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$2.50 ৳309

-21.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$12.59 ৳1,552

45.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.98 ৳614

50.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ৳491

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ৳590

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.20 ৳271

-8.18%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.34 ৳42.36

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.19 ৳23.65

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.82 ৳101

101.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.70 ৳86.6

124.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.65 ৳80.2

83.08%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.26 ৳155

53.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$6.97 ৳859

132.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.39 ৳417

-11.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.44 ৳794

69.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.84 ৳350

-4.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.12 ৳139

4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.55 ৳314

-33.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.90 ৳111

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.43 ৳53.0

220.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.83 ৳103

44.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.33 ৳40.31

103.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.30 ৳37.46

86.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.03 ৳1,483

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 ৳482

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 ৳879

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.99 ৳369

55.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.43 ৳52.8

104.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$24.18 ৳2,980

-20.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.21 ৳149

12.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.43 ৳52.9

211.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.15 ৳388

160.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.03 ৳127

18.45%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$29.3K ৳3.6M

-27.09%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$28.4K ৳3.5M

-20.72%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$32.72 ৳4,033

115.98%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.78 ৳589

193.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$13.15 ৳1,621

33.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$19.26 ৳2,374

118.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$14.25 ৳1,757

-51.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.99 ৳492

48.37%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$48.08 ৳5,926

541.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$1,996 ৳246.0K

645.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$18.81 ৳2,319

196.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$23.73 ৳2,925

10.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$46.25 ৳5,700

79.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$36.71 ৳4,524

91.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$118 ৳14.5K

266.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$63.3 ৳7,800

277.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$309 ৳38.0K

166.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$190 ৳23.4K

169.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,569 ৳193.3K

22.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$764 ৳94.2K

91.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$278 ৳34.2K

108.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.52

-52.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $118 in Dhaka. 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 109% 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 $13.00 in Dhaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $124 – making Dhaka 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 Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 107% more than Dhaka, 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 $623 in Dhaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhaka, 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 $48.08 in Dhaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 97% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $416 in Dhaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dhaka costs $416 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 Dhaka. 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.