Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Moulvibazar

For one person, living is cheaper in Moulvibazar: $302 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 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
14

Cost of Living Index in Moulvibazar
Learn more

Moulvibazar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Moulvibazar

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$302

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $302 in Moulvibazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Moulvibazar $302

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $490 in Moulvibazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Moulvibazar $490

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $678 in Moulvibazar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Moulvibazar $678

Chiang Mai costs about 210% more than Moulvibazar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Moulvibazar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Moulvibazar 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$1.63 ৳202

37.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$6.51 ৳807

191.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$4.70 ৳583

18.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 ৳322

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 ৳492

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.44 ৳178

15.97%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.29 ৳35.60

120.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.14 ৳17.70

121.43%

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

$0.76 ৳93.8

156.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.52 ৳64.7

176.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.50 ৳62.5

166.00%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.10 ৳137

107.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$7.45 ৳924

120.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.02 ৳250

37.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$7.50 ৳931

24.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.30 ৳285

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$0.90 ৳112

7.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.96 ৳243

-18.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$0.54 ৳67.2

177.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.37 ৳45.35

245.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.69 ৳85.4

59.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.38 ৳47.30

86.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.30 ৳36.85

63.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 ৳512

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ৳99.2

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ৳178

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.91 ৳360

42.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

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 ฿29.33

$0.38 ৳47.20

128.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$14.76 ৳1,831

266.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.80 ৳99.2

45.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.19 ৳23.71

178.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$0.82 ৳102

195.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.07 ৳133

35.51%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$32.8K ৳4.1M

-35.73%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$44.8K ৳5.6M

-39.90%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$24.05 ৳2,983

158.50%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$3.99 ৳495

205.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$12.28 ৳1,523

63.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$5.89 ৳731

533.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$6.06 ৳752

-37.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.70 ৳459

75.41%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$28.42 ৳3,525

2490.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$1,468 ৳182.1K

905.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$16.16 ৳2,004

230.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$19.55 ৳2,425

26.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$38.88 ৳4,822

135.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$30.85 ৳3,827

133.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$44.73 ৳5,549

978.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$27.72 ৳3,438

1014.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$98.7 ৳12.2K

919.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$65.6 ৳8,130

866.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$654 ৳81.1K

261.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$175 ৳21.7K

237.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.5

-51.57%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Moulvibazar: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Moulvibazar

$28 9.2% 91% $281

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Moulvibazar

$109 36.1% 53.4% $125

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Moulvibazar

$47 15.7% 56.3% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Moulvibazar

$40 13.3% 57.3% $54

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Moulvibazar

$46 15.3% 40.6% $31

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Moulvibazar

$18 6% 70.6% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Moulvibazar

$13 4.4% 73.6% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $45 in Moulvibazar. 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 3.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $7 in Moulvibazar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $109 – making Moulvibazar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Moulvibazar

🕒 Local time

03:01 3:01 AM

02:01 2:01 AM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

57,441

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.06 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.24 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 October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.06 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.24 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Moulvibazar 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Moulvibazar

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 Moulvibazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 210% more than Moulvibazar, 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 $453 in Moulvibazar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Moulvibazar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $45 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $28 in Moulvibazar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 115% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Moulvibazar – 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 Moulvibazar. 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.