Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pabna

For one person, living is cheaper in Pabna: $315 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 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
15

Cost of Living Index in Pabna
Learn more

Pabna Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Pabna

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$315

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $315 in Pabna, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Pabna $315

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $522 in Pabna, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Pabna $522

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $730 in Pabna, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Pabna $730

Chiang Mai costs about 197% more than Pabna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$1.99 ৳247

7.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$13.22 ৳1,641

40.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$4.93 ৳612

13.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 ৳587

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 ৳487

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$2.32 ৳288

-28.45%

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

$0.65 ฿21.82

$0.21 ৳26.10

209.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.15 ৳18.25

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$0.50 ৳62.2

304.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.60 ৳74.0

135.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.94

$0.47 ৳58.2

195.74%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.03 ৳128

130.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$9.01 ৳1,119

83.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$1.62 ৳201

64.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$5.15 ৳639

75.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$1.59 ৳197

50.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

$0.63 ৳78.6

65.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.46 ৳181

13.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$0.29 ৳36.31

437.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

$0.25 ৳31.08

396.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

$0.45 ৳56.1

142.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.33 ৳40.98

130.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

$0.23 ৳28.31

121.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.13 ৳1,506

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.26 ৳653

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 ৳804

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$3.19 ৳396

29.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

$0.42 ৳51.6

121.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$1.18 ৳147

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$0.38 ৳47.50

-55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$3.15 ৳391

-42.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

$1.14 ৳142

28.95%

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

$29.4K ৳3.6M

-28.43%

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

$31.9K ৳4.0M

-16.84%

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

$20.20 ৳2,507

209.70%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$4.42 ৳548

162.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$11.05 ৳1,371

83.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$13.51 ৳1,676

180.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$4.28 ৳531

52.10%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$25.05 ৳3,109

2802.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

$1,186 ৳147.3K

1297.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

$8.00 ৳993

569.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$18.90 ৳2,345

31.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

$46.20 ৳5,734

95.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$35.78 ৳4,441

101.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$89.2 ৳11.1K

439.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$50.8 ৳6,302

510.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$169 ৳21.0K

524.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$116 ৳14.4K

467.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

$698 ৳86.6K

246.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$121 ৳15.0K

392.53%

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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Pabna: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Pabna

$51 16.1% 83.6% $259

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Pabna

$92 29.4% 61% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Pabna

$49 15.6% 54.8% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Pabna

$36 11.3% 62.3% $59

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Pabna

$60 19.1% 21.7% $17

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Pabna

$4.8 * 1.5% 91.9% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Pabna

$22 7% 56.7% $29

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 $89 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 in Chiang Mai are about 4.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $13 in Pabna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $92 – making Pabna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Pabna

🕒 Local time

15:16 3:16 PM

14:16 2:16 PM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

144,442

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.06 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.19 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 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.06 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.19 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Pabna 1,160 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Pabna

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 Pabna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 197% more than Pabna, 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 $472 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $89 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

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

Groceries cost about 156% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Pabna – 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 Pabna. 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.