Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Munshiganj

For one person, living is cheaper in Munshiganj: $312 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Munshiganj, Bangladesh
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Munshiganj
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$312
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $312 in Munshiganj, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Munshiganj $312

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $508 in Munshiganj, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Munshiganj $508

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $703 in Munshiganj, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Munshiganj $703

Chiang Mai costs about 200% more than Munshiganj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Munshiganj are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Munshiganj 77% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Munshiganj
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.5
$1.58 ৳196
41.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿640
$9.82 ৳1,214
93.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$4.07 ৳503
36.36%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.71 ৳335
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.06 ৳502
-
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.4
$1.64 ৳202
1.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.51
$0.32 ৳39.25
100.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.29
$0.14 ৳17.21
121.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿123
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Munshiganj
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$0.68 ৳83.5
186.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.41
$0.49 ৳60.2
193.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.97
$0.64 ৳79.3
107.81%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.0
$1.26 ৳156
80.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿554
$7.11 ৳879
131.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$1.95 ৳241
42.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$6.56 ৳812
41.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.3
$2.13 ৳263
10.33%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.75
$0.87 ৳108
11.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.8
$2.04 ৳252
-21.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$0.61 ৳75.8
145.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.06
$0.21 ৳25.78
509.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.14
$0.47 ৳58.2
134.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.79
$0.52 ৳64.6
36.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.34
$0.26 ৳32.22
88.46%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$6.89 ৳853
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.85 ৳353
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.39 ৳543
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$2.79 ৳344
48.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿590
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.8
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Munshiganj
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.27
$0.37 ৳45.87
135.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,823
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.00
$0.84 ৳103
38.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.78
$0.40 ৳49.23
32.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.6
$2.62 ৳324
-7.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$0.99 ৳122
46.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿709.7K
$32.4K ৳4.0M
-35.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿907.9K
$36.6K ৳4.5M
-26.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Munshiganj
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,095
$28.91 ৳3,576
115.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿410
$4.98 ৳616
144.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿678
$10.80 ৳1,336
86.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Munshiganj
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,257
$12.29 ৳1,520
203.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$3.98 ৳492
63.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Munshiganj
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$23.61 ৳2,919
3017.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿497.6K
$1,338 ৳165.5K
1003.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Munshiganj
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,799
$13.93 ৳1,723
283.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿830
$17.55 ৳2,171
40.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,083
$28.18 ৳3,485
224.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,424
$31.11 ৳3,848
131.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Munshiganj
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$86.9 ৳10.7K
455.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$51.9 ৳6,417
495.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$165 ৳20.4K
509.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.3K
$117 ৳14.4K
443.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.6K
$724 ৳89.5K
226.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Munshiganj
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
-
-
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 Munshiganj: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Munshiganj
$52 83.2% $257
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Munshiganj
$104 55.7% $130
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Munshiganj
$41 62.4% $68
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Munshiganj
$45 52.7% $50
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Munshiganj
$46 40.3% $31
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Munshiganj
$4.3 * 93% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Munshiganj
$20 59.7% $30

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $87 in Munshiganj. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $10 in Munshiganj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $104 – making Munshiganj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇧🇩 Munshiganj
🕒 Local time
09:51 9:51 AM
08:51 8:51 AM
1 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
53,202
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Munshiganj 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Munshiganj

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 Munshiganj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Munshiganj?
Chiang Mai costs about 200% more than Munshiganj, 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 Munshiganj?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $468 in Munshiganj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Munshiganj?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Munshiganj, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $87 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Munshiganj?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $10 in Munshiganj. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Munshiganj?
Groceries cost about 126% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Munshiganj – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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