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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $725 in Le Bardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,114 in Le Bardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,502 in Le Bardo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Le Bardo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Le Bardo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Le Bardo 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$3.46 TND 10.02

-39.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$21.94 TND 63.6

-10.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.29 TND 15.35

7.18%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.07 TND 3.10

69.16%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.65 TND 1.88

18.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.26 TND 0.75

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.69 TND 4.90

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.35 TND 6.83

61.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.51 TND 1.48

301.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.25 TND 0.73

504.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.33 TND 3.86

5.26%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.65 TND 4.78

36.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$10.20 TND 29.59

58.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$5.68 TND 16.46

-48.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$14.14 TND 41.02

-33.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.87 TND 5.42

43.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$3.11 TND 9.01

-64.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.12 TND 3.26

44.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.75 TND 2.18

94.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.87 TND 2.52

47.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.83 TND 2.40

27.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.54 TND 1.57

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.34 TND 0.99

55.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.80 TND 11.03

11.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.72 TND 19.49

172.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.29 TND 3.74

26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.10 TND 3.19

163.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.33 TND 0.96

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$10.17 TND 29.50

428.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.34 TND 0.99

244.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.33 TND 0.95

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$1.90 TND 5.51

25.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.86 TND 2.49

68.60%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$38.1K TND 110.5K

-44.84%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$38.0K TND 110.1K

-30.41%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$65.4 TND 190

-2.71%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$9.54 TND 27.68

35.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$20.61 TND 59.8

-0.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$42.66 TND 124

-8.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$14.29 TND 41.43

-72.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.56 TND 16.13

18.35%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$99.1 TND 287

691.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,853 TND 8,274

414.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$51.8 TND 150

6.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$37.29 TND 108

-33.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$111 TND 321

-15.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$87.4 TND 254

-15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$254 TND 735

93.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$153 TND 443

88.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$407 TND 1,180

119.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$257 TND 746

102.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$977 TND 2,833

102.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$644 TND 1,868

124.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$388 TND 1,127

54.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Le Bardo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $254 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 55% 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 $22.00 in Le Bardo. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $190 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 29% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,088 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $99.1 in Le Bardo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Le Bardo, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Le Bardo 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. Le Bardo costs $725 versus $932 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.