Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Munshiganj Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Munshiganj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $326 in Munshiganj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $540 in Munshiganj, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $755 in Munshiganj, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 191% more than Munshiganj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Munshiganj are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Munshiganj 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$1.49 ৳184

40.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$10.48 ৳1,287

89.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$4.67 ৳573

23.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ৳325

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ৳512

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.88 ৳231

-2.66%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.30 ৳36.34

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.16 ৳19.73

93.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.75 ৳91.8

170.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.53 ৳64.6

201.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.58 ৳71.8

144.83%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.13 ৳139

92.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$7.69 ৳945

106.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$2.20 ৳271

39.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$6.59 ৳810

49.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.51 ৳308

4.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.83 ৳102

32.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.10 ৳258

-22.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.63 ৳77.0

142.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.23 ৳28.25

439.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.48 ৳59.3

135.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.48 ৳59.1

54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.30 ৳37.37

66.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.99 ৳1,105

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 ৳319

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 ৳572

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.92 ৳358

46.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.40 ৳48.84

135.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.78 ৳96.0

57.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.39 ৳48.37

35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$2.89 ৳354

-16.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.11 ৳136

29.73%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$30.4K ৳3.7M

-30.18%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$31.9K ৳3.9M

-14.44%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$30.25 ৳3,716

114.64%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$4.01 ৳493

232.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$11.65 ৳1,431

78.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$13.37 ৳1,642

202.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$3.64 ৳447

84.34%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$25.36 ৳3,115

3003.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$1,192 ৳146.4K

1168.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$16.92 ৳2,078

232.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$18.32 ৳2,251

36.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$32.14 ৳3,948

188.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$34.20 ৳4,201

119.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$90.0 ৳11.1K

437.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$51.2 ৳6,285

461.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$169 ৳20.8K

438.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$117 ৳14.4K

352.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$706 ৳86.8K

180.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.44

-46.65%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Munshiganj: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $90.0 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $10.00 in Munshiganj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $110 – making Munshiganj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chiang Mai costs about 191% more than Munshiganj, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $489 in Munshiganj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Munshiganj, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $10.00 in Munshiganj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 121% 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 Munshiganj, where all-in costs run around $326, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Munshiganj 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. Munshiganj costs $326 versus $950 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 Munshiganj. 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.