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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $315 in Pabna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $532 in Pabna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $749 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 36% lower, Pabna 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$2.09 ৳259

-2.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$12.84 ৳1,585

45.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$4.94 ৳610

59.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 ৳499

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 ৳591

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.19 ৳270

-7.31%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.20 ৳24.65

300.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.16 ৳19.57

118.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$0.51 ৳62.4

239.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.70 ৳86.1

124.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$0.54 ৳67.3

122.22%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.25 ৳155

57.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$6.80 ৳839

138.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$1.63 ৳201

87.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$5.44 ৳672

98.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.62 ৳200

70.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$0.64 ৳78.8

82.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.50 ৳185

14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.28 ৳34.11

467.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.40 ৳49.22

247.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.48 ৳58.9

141.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.36 ৳44.07

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.30 ৳37.44

73.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.62 ৳1,064

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.98 ৳491

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 ৳871

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.88 ৳355

61.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.20 ৳24.68

355.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$10.45 ৳1,290

78.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$1.25 ৳155

12.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.39 ৳48.74

243.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$3.17 ৳392

155.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.08 ৳133

13.89%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$28.2K ৳3.5M

-23.93%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$28.6K ৳3.5M

-23.66%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$20.56 ৳2,539

246.94%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$4.83 ৳596

190.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$13.32 ৳1,645

34.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$13.34 ৳1,647

206.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$11.78 ৳1,454

-41.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.22 ৳521

35.55%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$32.40 ৳4,000

851.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$1,939 ৳239.4K

657.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$9.18 ৳1,133

507.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$24.55 ৳3,032

6.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$46.93 ৳5,795

80.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$36.68 ৳4,529

93.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$69.0 ৳8,518

513.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$42.06 ৳5,193

476.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$161 ৳19.9K

394.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$99.0 ৳12.2K

412.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$713 ৳88.1K

168.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$122 ৳15.1K

387.67%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pabna: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $69.0 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 388% 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: $244 vs $91.0 – 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 $1,279 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $32.40 in Pabna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 170% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $315 in Pabna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pabna costs $315 versus $852 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.