Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rangpur

For one person, living is cheaper in Rangpur: $303 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 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 Rangpur
Learn more

Rangpur Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Rangpur

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$303

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $303 in Rangpur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Rangpur $303

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $528 in Rangpur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Rangpur $528

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $753 in Rangpur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Rangpur $753

Chiang Mai costs about 210% more than Rangpur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Rangpur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Rangpur 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.53 ৳189

47.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$11.98 ৳1,480

60.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$3.99 ৳493

40.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.45 ৳549

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 ৳494

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.19 ৳147

44.54%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.34 ৳41.41

88.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.17 ৳21.15

94.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$0.62 ৳76.6

230.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.65 ৳79.8

115.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$0.61 ৳75.9

109.84%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.16 ৳143

93.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$9.01 ৳1,113

88.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$3.36 ৳415

-18.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$6.12 ৳756

52.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$2.54 ৳314

-5.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$0.93 ৳115

8.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.30 ৳284

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.61 ৳75.3

149.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.26 ৳32.16

392.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.50 ৳62.0

122.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.34 ৳42.34

111.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.30 ৳37.24

73.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$5.55 ৳685

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ৳347

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 ৳609

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$2.53 ৳313

71.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.44 ৳54.4

93.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$9.67 ৳1,195

457.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.20 ৳149

-2.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$0.42 ৳52.0

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$1.65 ৳204

43.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.05 ৳130

38.10%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$30.1K ৳3.7M

-31.92%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$31.5K ৳3.9M

-15.93%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$19.99 ৳2,471

211.81%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$4.22 ৳522

190.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$9.27 ৳1,146

115.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$13.37 ৳1,652

183.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$4.14 ৳511

62.08%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$25.75 ৳3,182

2995.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$1,172 ৳144.8K

1165.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$12.01 ৳1,484

343.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$14.41 ৳1,781

73.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$32.70 ৳4,041

180.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$36.71 ৳4,536

100.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$88.6 ৳10.9K

423.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$30.26 ৳3,739

906.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$167 ৳20.6K

449.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$114 ৳14.0K

386.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$755 ৳93.2K

153.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$141 ৳17.4K

322.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.48

-46.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Rangpur: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Rangpur

$30 10% 90.1% $274

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Rangpur

$119 39.4% 49.9% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Rangpur

$43 14.2% 60.6% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Rangpur

$33 11.1% 64.6% $61

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Rangpur

$41 13.4% 48.7% $38

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Rangpur

$15 4.9% 76% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Rangpur

$22 7.1% 57.8% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $88.6 in Rangpur. 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 322% 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 $12.00 in Rangpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $119 – making Rangpur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Rangpur

🕒 Local time

06:34 6:34 AM

05:34 5:34 AM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

307,053

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Rangpur 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Rangpur

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 Rangpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 210% more than Rangpur, 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $455 in Rangpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $25.75 in Rangpur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 100% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rangpur, where all-in costs run around $303, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Rangpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rangpur costs $303 versus $938 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 Rangpur. 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.