Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dhaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhaka: $422 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 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
20

Cost of Living Index in Dhaka
Learn more

Dhaka Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Dhaka

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$422

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Dhaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $422 in Dhaka, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Dhaka $422

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $728 in Dhaka, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Dhaka $728

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,033 in Dhaka, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Dhaka $1,033

Chiang Mai costs about 122% more than Dhaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Dhaka are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Dhaka 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$2.40 ৳297

-6.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$12.93 ৳1,602

46.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$4.78 ৳593

16.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 ৳609

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 ৳490

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.38 ৳295

-29.83%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.30 ৳37.07

113.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.17 ৳21.30

82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.79 ৳97.4

146.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.63 ৳78.3

128.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.72 ৳89.0

84.72%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.18 ৳147

93.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$8.73 ৳1,082

88.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.30 ৳408

-15.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$6.64 ৳823

40.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.80 ৳347

-16.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$0.86 ৳107

12.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.32 ৳287

-31.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.61 ৳75.7

145.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.23 ৳28.28

456.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.48 ৳59.9

129.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.33 ৳41.21

115.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.30 ৳37.54

63.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.23 ৳1,515

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.23 ৳648

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 ৳807

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.29 ৳408

25.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.41 ৳51.2

112.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$21.27 ৳2,636

154.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.18 ৳146

-1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.38 ৳47.14

39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$3.27 ৳405

-25.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.16 ৳143

25.00%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$29.9K ৳3.7M

-29.58%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$32.5K ৳4.0M

-17.13%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$46.86 ৳5,807

32.67%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$4.31 ৳535

182.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$11.09 ৳1,374

81.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$17.52 ৳2,171

112.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$17.67 ৳2,189

-78.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.31 ৳534

50.58%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$139 ৳17.2K

430.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$2,570 ৳318.5K

474.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$16.32 ৳2,023

227.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$19.36 ৳2,399

27.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$45.97 ৳5,696

99.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$36.74 ৳4,552

95.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$145 ৳18.0K

232.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$68.1 ৳8,441

353.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$461 ৳57.1K

118.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$232 ৳28.8K

173.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,575 ৳195.2K

50.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$789 ৳97.8K

101.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$245 ৳30.3K

141.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.67

-47.80%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Dhaka

$68 16.1% 77.9% $241

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Dhaka

$122 29% 47.7% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Dhaka

$53 12.6% 51% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Dhaka

$62 14.8% 34.1% $32

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Dhaka

$64 15.2% 17.5% $14

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Dhaka

$26 6.2% 57.6% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Dhaka

$26 6.2% 48% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $145 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 in Chiang Mai are about 2.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $13 in Dhaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $122 – making Dhaka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Dhaka

🕒 Local time

12:33 12:33 PM

11:33 11:33 AM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

21,741,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.07 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.23 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 November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.07 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.23 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Dhaka 1,050 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Dhaka

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 Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 122% more than Dhaka, 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $633 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $145 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $139 in Dhaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 91% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Dhaka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Dhaka. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.