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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $690 in Le Bardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,090 in Le Bardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,490 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 35% lower, Le Bardo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.41 TND 9.89

-43.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$25.73 TND 74.7

-27.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.79 TND 13.90

63.26%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.07 TND 3.10

82.24%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.60 TND 1.76

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.26 TND 0.75

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.67 TND 4.86

27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.43 TND 7.04

53.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.50 TND 1.45

242.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.17 TND 0.50

858.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.54 TND 4.46

-25.97%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.49 TND 4.33

29.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.65 TND 30.92

52.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.83 TND 16.92

-46.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.28 TND 38.57

-17.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.04 TND 5.93

34.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.96 TND 8.59

-59.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.02 TND 2.95

58.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.74 TND 2.15

114.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.78 TND 2.27

79.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.71 TND 2.07

64.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.49 TND 1.41

34.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.30 TND 0.88

76.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.61 TND 10.49

29.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.18 TND 15.04

260.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.28 TND 3.73

40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.06 TND 3.07

204.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.33 TND 0.95

172.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.28 TND 29.85

86.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.30 TND 0.86

370.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.33 TND 0.97

290.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.33 TND 9.66

135.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.90 TND 2.61

41.11%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$36.9K TND 107.1K

-42.32%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$37.7K TND 109.5K

-41.11%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$57.8 TND 168

19.52%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.95 TND 28.88

41.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$21.18 TND 61.5

-15.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$42.90 TND 125

-4.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$11.68 TND 33.91

-40.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.27 TND 15.30

12.33%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$110 TND 318

172.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,826 TND 8,205

429.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$45.30 TND 132

20.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$44.81 TND 130

-40.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$98.1 TND 285

-13.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$78.3 TND 227

-9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$247 TND 716

73.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$150 TND 434

58.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$403 TND 1,172

98.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$253 TND 734

104.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$982 TND 2,851

101.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$639 TND 1,854

130.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$396 TND 1,151

55.76%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Le Bardo: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $247 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 56% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Le Bardo. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $184 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,035 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $110 in Le Bardo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $690 in Le Bardo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Le Bardo costs $690 versus $866 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.