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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $954 in Tesanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,390 in Tesanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,825 in Tesanj, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Tesanj have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.0

$3.46 BAM 5.81

-39.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿653

$16.42 BAM 27.59

20.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$2.94 BAM 4.93

96.94%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.2

$0.91 BAM 1.53

101.10%

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

$0.78 ฿25.51

$1.44 BAM 2.42

-45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.33

$0.86 BAM 1.44

-63.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿76.9

$2.07 BAM 3.48

13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$1.81 BAM 3.03

104.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿66.8

$0.81 BAM 1.36

150.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.5

$0.86 BAM 1.44

86.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.57

$2.31 BAM 3.88

-38.53%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.6

$3.06 BAM 5.13

-28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿523

$9.88 BAM 16.60

61.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿101

$7.27 BAM 12.22

-57.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿325

$13.43 BAM 22.55

-26.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.4

$1.25 BAM 2.10

110.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.05

$1.81 BAM 3.04

-39.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.6

$1.85 BAM 3.10

-11.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.4

$1.74 BAM 2.93

-12.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.97

$0.79 BAM 1.33

56.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.22

$0.68 BAM 1.15

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.29

$0.95 BAM 1.59

-22.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.42

$1.01 BAM 1.70

-50.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$4.00 BAM 6.72

7.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿591

$8.02 BAM 13.48

124.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$1.31 BAM 2.19

29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.3

$2.32 BAM 3.90

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.00

$1.31 BAM 2.20

-28.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,820

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.60

$1.17 BAM 1.97

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.57 BAM 0.96

-7.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.0

$10.75 BAM 18.06

-77.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.37

$1.53 BAM 2.57

-5.88%

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

$21.2K ฿697.5K

$31.6K BAM 53.1K

-32.92%

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

$27.3K ฿898.6K

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

21.90%

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

$64.9 ฿2,137

$124 BAM 209

-47.70%

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

$13.35 ฿439

$18.92 BAM 31.78

-29.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿686

$28.33 BAM 47.59

-26.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,330

$34.48 BAM 57.9

17.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿130

$30.09 BAM 50.6

-86.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿221

$3.01 BAM 5.05

122.92%

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

$787 ฿25.9K

$152 BAM 256

416.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿497.7K

$3,994 BAM 6,709

278.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,850

$116 BAM 195

-51.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿821

$34.80 BAM 58.5

-28.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,051

$97.6 BAM 164

-5.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,472

$117 BAM 197

-35.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿15.9K

$349 BAM 586

38.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,454

$262 BAM 441

9.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿29.9K

$528 BAM 888

72.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$380 BAM 638

39.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.2K

$2,544 BAM 4,272

-22.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.8K

$1,825 BAM 3,065

-20.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿19.9K

$715 BAM 1,201

-15.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.3

29.53%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $349 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 18% higher in Tesanj. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Tesanj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $225 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,431 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Tesanj – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $16.00 in Tesanj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Tesanj at $954. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tesanj it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $954 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.