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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $872 in Tesanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,322 in Tesanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,772 in Tesanj, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Tesanj, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.51 BAM 5.89

-44.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$16.66 BAM 27.99

11.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.00 BAM 5.04

160.67%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.85 BAM 1.43

129.41%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.48 BAM 2.49

-42.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.90 BAM 1.50

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.09 BAM 3.51

1.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.81 BAM 3.05

106.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.85 BAM 1.43

101.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.90 BAM 1.51

81.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.40 BAM 4.03

-52.50%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.78 BAM 4.67

-30.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.76 BAM 16.40

66.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.30 BAM 12.27

-57.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.16 BAM 22.10

-17.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.25 BAM 2.09

120.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.69 BAM 2.85

-28.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.92 BAM 3.22

-15.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.66 BAM 2.78

-4.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.80 BAM 1.34

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.70 BAM 1.18

67.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.93 BAM 1.56

-29.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.96 BAM 1.62

-44.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.49 BAM 5.86

34.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.49 BAM 14.26

119.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.25 BAM 2.11

44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.06 BAM 3.46

56.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.85 BAM 3.11

-51.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$35.58 BAM 59.8

-46.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.16 BAM 1.95

21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.52 BAM 0.88

148.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$10.67 BAM 17.93

-26.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.44 BAM 2.42

-11.81%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$23.4K BAM 39.3K

-8.93%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

-16.86%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$124 BAM 209

-44.40%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$19.29 BAM 32.41

-27.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$28.67 BAM 48.17

-37.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$29.51 BAM 49.58

39.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$10.80 BAM 18.15

-35.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.94 BAM 4.94

101.36%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$150 BAM 251

99.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,312 BAM 5,565

351.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$71.8 BAM 121

-23.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$35.38 BAM 59.5

-24.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$99.9 BAM 168

-14.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$120 BAM 201

-41.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$262 BAM 440

63.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$168 BAM 283

40.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$370 BAM 621

116.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$313 BAM 526

64.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,603 BAM 4,373

-24.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,839 BAM 3,090

-19.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$715 BAM 1,201

-13.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

20.77%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $262 in Tesanj. 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 16% higher in Tesanj, 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 $17.00 in Tesanj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $222 – making Tesanj 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 Tesanj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tesanj costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,308 in Tesanj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $150 in Tesanj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Tesanj – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $872 in Tesanj, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $872 in Tesanj. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tesanj makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.