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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $320 in Pabna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $527 in Pabna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $733 in Pabna, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 171% more than Pabna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Pabna are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Pabna 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.02 ৳247

-1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$12.67 ৳1,553

48.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.95 ৳606

56.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 ৳490

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 ৳606

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.20 ৳270

-12.73%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.20 ৳24.46

295.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.14 ৳17.63

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.50 ৳60.7

230.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.66 ৳80.7

146.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.50 ৳61.8

138.00%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.31 ৳160

52.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$6.75 ৳827

136.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$1.63 ৳200

85.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$5.43 ৳665

100.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.68 ৳206

64.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.63 ৳77.7

87.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.50 ৳184

9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.30 ৳37.12

406.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.40 ৳48.88

245.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.45 ৳54.8

164.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.33 ৳40.17

112.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.28 ৳34.24

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.06 ৳1,478

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.98 ৳488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 ৳863

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.03 ৳371

51.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.22 ৳26.99

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$10.15 ৳1,244

84.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.26 ৳155

7.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.39 ৳48.26

243.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.13 ৳384

150.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.03 ৳126

19.42%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$29.0K ৳3.6M

-25.54%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.2K ৳3.5M

-20.01%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$20.86 ৳2,557

238.16%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.61 ৳565

196.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$13.19 ৳1,616

32.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$13.52 ৳1,657

205.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$11.94 ৳1,463

-41.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.05 ৳496

42.47%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$33.45 ৳4,100

818.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,982 ৳242.9K

637.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$9.10 ৳1,115

513.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$24.28 ৳2,975

7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$47.47 ৳5,817

80.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$36.03 ৳4,415

100.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$70.3 ৳8,614

511.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$41.87 ৳5,130

470.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$164 ৳20.1K

398.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$97.9 ৳12.0K

421.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$730 ৳89.4K

171.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$121 ৳14.9K

410.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.52

-52.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pabna: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $70.3 in Pabna. 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 411% 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 $13.00 in Pabna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $90.0 – making Pabna 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 Pabna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 171% more than Pabna, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $480 in Pabna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $33.45 in Pabna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 168% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $320 in Pabna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pabna costs $320 versus $869 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 Pabna. 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.