Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Le Bardo Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Le Bardo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $681 in Le Bardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,081 in Le Bardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,482 in Le Bardo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Le Bardo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Le Bardo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Le Bardo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.35 TND 9.80

-41.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$25.56 TND 74.8

-28.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.61 TND 13.49

62.26%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.03 TND 3.01

96.12%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.60 TND 1.76

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.28 TND 0.82

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.70 TND 4.99

25.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.34 TND 6.84

53.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.53 TND 1.56

211.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.18 TND 0.53

772.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.54 TND 4.50

-22.73%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.53 TND 4.48

26.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$10.60 TND 31.01

52.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.84 TND 17.07

-48.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.56 TND 39.69

-19.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.08 TND 6.08

30.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.94 TND 8.60

-60.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.06 TND 3.09

59.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.74 TND 2.17

116.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.79 TND 2.31

74.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.77 TND 2.26

55.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.48 TND 1.42

39.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.30 TND 0.89

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.49 TND 10.20

32.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.12 TND 14.97

244.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.29 TND 3.77

44.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.05 TND 3.09

214.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.33 TND 0.95

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$9.97 TND 29.17

93.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.32 TND 0.94

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.31 TND 0.90

332.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.48 TND 10.20

135.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.84 TND 2.47

45.24%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$37.3K TND 109.1K

-42.74%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$38.2K TND 111.7K

-40.98%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$58.4 TND 171

20.93%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.58 TND 28.04

46.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$21.31 TND 62.4

-17.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$41.53 TND 122

1.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$11.99 TND 35.08

-42.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.28 TND 15.45

12.12%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$108 TND 317

184.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$2,795 TND 8,179

432.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$44.71 TND 131

24.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$44.49 TND 130

-41.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$96.3 TND 282

-13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$81.2 TND 238

-13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$245 TND 716

76.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$155 TND 454

54.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$398 TND 1,166

106.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$256 TND 749

100.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$953 TND 2,789

100.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$636 TND 1,862

130.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$387 TND 1,131

49.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-54.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Le Bardo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $245 in Le Bardo. 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 50% 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 $26.00 in Le Bardo. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in Le Bardo – so Le Bardo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Le Bardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Le Bardo, 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 $1,021 in Le Bardo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Le Bardo, 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 $108 in Le Bardo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $681 in Le Bardo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Le Bardo costs $681 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 Le Bardo. 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.