Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Jessore

For one person, living is cheaper in Jessore: $369 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Jessore, Bangladesh
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Jessore
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$369
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $369 in Jessore, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Jessore $369

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $582 in Jessore, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Jessore $582

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $795 in Jessore, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Jessore $795

Chiang Mai costs about 154% more than Jessore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Jessore are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Jessore 73% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Jessore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$2.35 ৳291
-4.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$10.70 ৳1,326
77.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$4.77 ৳591
16.35%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.74 ৳588
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.14 ৳512
-
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$2.41 ৳299
-30.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.54
$0.32 ৳40.03
100.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.31
$0.14 ৳17.40
121.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Jessore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$0.51 ৳63.7
282.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.46
$0.23 ৳28.47
526.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.03
$0.50 ৳61.9
166.00%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$1.01 ৳125
125.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$8.89 ৳1,102
85.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$2.21 ৳273
25.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$5.35 ৳663
74.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$1.82 ৳225
29.12%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.79
$0.58 ৳71.7
67.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$1.59 ৳197
0.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$0.66 ৳81.8
127.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.11
$0.16 ৳19.35
700.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.18
$0.33 ৳41.51
233.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.82
$0.33 ৳40.97
115.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.36
$0.21 ৳25.86
133.33%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$12.10 ৳1,499
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$5.44 ৳674
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.69 ৳829
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$3.19 ৳395
29.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.9
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Jessore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.30
$0.41 ৳50.8
112.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,825
$40.03 ৳4,960
35.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.04
$1.24 ৳154
-6.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.80
$0.38 ৳47.23
39.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.7
$3.25 ৳402
-25.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.88
$1.08 ৳134
34.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.5K
$29.9K ৳3.7M
-29.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.0K
$32.9K ৳4.1M
-18.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Jessore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,098
$46.65 ৳5,781
33.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$4.51 ৳559
169.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$11.00 ৳1,363
82.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Jessore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
$13.54 ৳1,678
175.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$4.32 ৳536
50.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Jessore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$25.08 ৳3,108
2835.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.2K
$1,172 ৳145.2K
1160.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Jessore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,801
$11.44 ৳1,418
366.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$7.87 ৳975
213.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,087
$15.91 ৳1,971
474.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,427
$32.36 ৳4,010
122.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Jessore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$87.4 ৳10.8K
451.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$50.9 ৳6,313
506.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$170 ৳21.1K
490.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$114 ৳14.1K
456.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.7K
$701 ৳86.9K
236.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$131 ৳16.3K
1108.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Jessore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$243 ৳30.1K
142.89%
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 Jessore: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Jessore
$51 83.5% $258
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Jessore
$94 59.7% $140
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Jessore
$30 72% $78
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Jessore
$62 34.2% $32
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Jessore
$64 17.6% $14
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Jessore
$45 27% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Jessore
$22 55.9% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $87 in Jessore. 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, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $11 in Jessore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $94 – making Jessore the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇧🇩 Jessore
🕒 Local time
12:25 12:25 PM
11:25 11:25 AM
1 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
237,478
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.78 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.07 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Jessore 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Jessore

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 Jessore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Jessore?
Chiang Mai costs about 154% more than Jessore, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Jessore?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $553 in Jessore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Jessore?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jessore, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $87 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Jessore?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $25 in Jessore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Jessore?
Groceries cost about 148% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Jessore – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Jessore?
If budget matters most, go with Jessore. 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.

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