Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Noakhali

For one person, living is cheaper in Noakhali: $281 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 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
13

Cost of Living Index in Noakhali
Learn more

Noakhali Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Noakhali

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$281

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $281 in Noakhali, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Noakhali $281

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $463 in Noakhali, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Noakhali $463

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $645 in Noakhali, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Noakhali $645

Chiang Mai costs about 233% more than Noakhali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Noakhali are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Noakhali 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.6

$2.46 ৳307

-13.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿624

$13.17 ৳1,644

41.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$4.70 ৳586

19.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 ৳615

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 ৳540

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.8

$2.43 ৳303

-31.69%

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

$0.65 ฿21.69

$0.32 ৳39.55

103.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.22

$0.16 ৳19.52

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.6

$0.70 ৳87.8

188.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.21

$0.46 ৳57.9

206.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.67

$0.51 ৳63.5

172.55%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.4

$1.18 ৳147

100.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿554

$9.09 ৳1,135

81.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.5

$1.46 ৳183

82.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$6.57 ৳820

37.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.4

$2.07 ৳258

15.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.91

$0.77 ৳96.7

35.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.32 ৳289

-28.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

$0.36 ৳45.19

333.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.50

$0.22 ৳27.30

463.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.44

$0.39 ৳48.73

179.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.54

$0.31 ৳38.30

145.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.24

$0.29 ৳36.43

75.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.08 ৳1,508

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.30 ৳661

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 ৳825

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$3.13 ৳390

31.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿601

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,773

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.45

$1.19 ৳149

-0.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.75

$0.42 ৳51.9

-59.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.8

$2.42 ৳302

-25.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.38

$0.89 ৳111

65.17%

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

$21.0K ฿704.5K

$29.9K ৳3.7M

-29.63%

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

$26.5K ฿889.1K

$31.6K ৳3.9M

-15.97%

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

$62.6 ฿2,098

$28.31 ৳3,533

120.98%

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

$11.60 ฿389

$3.29 ৳411

252.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿681

$10.14 ৳1,265

100.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,270

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$4.29 ৳536

51.75%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$129 ৳16.1K

463.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿555.7K

$12.9K ৳1.6M

28.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,795

$3.20 ৳399

1573.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿832

$4.12 ৳515

501.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,031

$48.61 ৳6,067

85.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,413

$35.65 ৳4,449

101.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$47.81 ৳5,967

906.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$15.97 ৳1,994

1840.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$79.5 ৳9,922

1231.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$31.58 ৳3,942

1985.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$397 ৳49.5K

49.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.79

-48.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Noakhali: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Noakhali

$16 5.7% 94.8% $294

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Noakhali

$105 37.4% 55.7% $132

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Noakhali

$41 14.7% 62% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Noakhali

$42 14.9% 55.8% $53

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Noakhali

$65 23.1% 15.4% $12

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Noakhali

$3.3 * 1.2% 94.4% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Noakhali

$8.6 * 3.1% 83.1% $42

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $48 in Noakhali. 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 50% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $13 in Noakhali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $105 – making Noakhali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Noakhali

🕒 Local time

22:43 10:43 PM

21:43 9:43 PM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

130,842

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.01 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.13 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 November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.53 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 125 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.01 USD). 1 EUR = 140 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.13 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Noakhali 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Noakhali

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 Noakhali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 233% more than Noakhali, 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 $421 in Noakhali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Noakhali, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $48 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $13 in Noakhali. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 126% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Noakhali, where all-in costs run around $281, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Noakhali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Noakhali – 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 Noakhali. 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.