Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rajshahi

For one person, living is cheaper in Rajshahi: $320 a month against $936 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 Rajshahi
Learn more

Rajshahi Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Rajshahi

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$320

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $320 in Rajshahi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Rajshahi $320

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $505 in Rajshahi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Rajshahi $505

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $690 in Rajshahi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Rajshahi $690

Chiang Mai costs about 192% more than Rajshahi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$0.78 ৳96.6

187.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$7.92 ৳982

139.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$2.84 ৳352

95.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.78 ৳593

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ৳277

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.31 ৳162

27.48%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.30 ৳36.68

113.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.17 ৳20.48

82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.74 ৳91.3

163.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.63 ৳78.5

128.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.63 ৳78.0

111.11%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.14 ৳141

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$9.02 ৳1,118

82.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.22 ৳400

-13.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$6.38 ৳791

45.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.67 ৳331

-11.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$0.92 ৳114

5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.44 ৳303

-34.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$0.48 ৳59.7

212.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.25 ৳31.04

412.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.52 ৳64.4

111.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.33 ৳41.35

115.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.28 ৳34.42

75.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.02 ৳1,491

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ৳196

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ৳258

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.15 ৳390

31.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.08 ৳9.88

987.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$12.34 ৳1,531

338.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$1.19 ৳147

-2.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.31 ৳38.26

70.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.00 ৳124

142.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.13 ৳140

28.32%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$29.3K ৳3.6M

-28.13%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$32.8K ৳4.1M

-17.78%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$46.64 ৳5,785

33.30%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$4.55 ৳565

167.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$11.03 ৳1,368

82.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$6.03 ৳748

518.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.10 ৳509

58.29%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$13.66 ৳1,694

5289.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$686 ৳85.1K

2052.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$6.84 ৳848

680.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$14.95 ৳1,854

64.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$25.49 ৳3,161

258.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$21.38 ৳2,652

236.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$73.0 ৳9,055

560.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$44.86 ৳5,564

588.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$134 ৳16.7K

648.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$97.0 ৳12.0K

553.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$483 ৳59.9K

389.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$2,258 ৳280.1K

-29.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$213 ৳26.4K

176.95%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Rajshahi: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Rajshahi

$45 14% 85.5% $264

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Rajshahi

$121 37.6% 48.6% $114

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Rajshahi

$31 9.6% 71.6% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Rajshahi

$62 19.4% 34.1% $32

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Rajshahi

$32 10.1% 58.4% $45

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Rajshahi

$15 4.8% 74.9% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Rajshahi

$14 4.4% 71.7% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $73 in Rajshahi. 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 2.8 times higher, 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 $8 in Rajshahi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $121 – making Rajshahi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Rajshahi

🕒 Local time

06:13 6:13 AM

05:13 5:13 AM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

451,425

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.06 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.24 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 October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.06 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.24 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Rajshahi 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Rajshahi

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 Rajshahi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 192% more than Rajshahi, 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 $481 in Rajshahi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rajshahi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $73 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $13.66 in Rajshahi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 94% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Rajshahi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Rajshahi. 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.