Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tongi

For one person, living is cheaper in Tongi: $328 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 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
16

Cost of Living Index in Tongi
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Tongi Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Tongi

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$328

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $328 in Tongi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Tongi $328

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $534 in Tongi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Tongi $534

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $741 in Tongi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Tongi $741

Chiang Mai costs about 185% more than Tongi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$2.02 ৳252

5.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$9.27 ৳1,158

100.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$4.64 ৳579

20.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ৳375

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ৳526

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$1.75 ৳219

-5.14%

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

$0.65 ฿21.83

$0.35 ৳43.14

85.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.15 ৳18.80

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$0.71 ৳88.5

184.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.51

$0.49 ৳60.7

187.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.96

$0.63 ৳78.6

120.63%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.15 ৳144

106.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$7.47 ৳932

121.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$2.43 ৳303

9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$6.53 ৳815

38.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$2.40 ৳300

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$0.95 ৳119

9.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.96 ৳245

-15.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$0.58 ৳72.9

168.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.76

$0.26 ৳32.16

376.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.66

$0.53 ৳66.7

105.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.41 ৳50.8

85.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.35

$0.23 ৳28.72

121.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.73 ৳965

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ৳309

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ৳585

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$3.01 ৳376

36.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.53

$0.37 ৳45.95

151.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,785

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.70

$0.79 ৳98.6

49.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.79

$0.38 ৳47.81

-55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$2.75 ৳343

-34.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.69

$1.23 ৳153

19.51%

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

$21.0K ฿708.9K

$29.2K ৳3.6M

-27.99%

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

$26.5K ฿894.6K

$26.9K ৳3.4M

-1.51%

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

$62.6 ฿2,111

$29.56 ৳3,691

111.64%

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

$11.60 ฿392

$4.20 ৳525

176.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$7.97 ৳995

154.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$13.22 ৳1,651

186.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$3.60 ৳450

80.83%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$25.01 ৳3,123

2806.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.2K

$1,527 ৳190.6K

985.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,807

$22.05 ৳2,754

142.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿837

$23.42 ৳2,924

5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,050

$31.59 ৳3,944

186.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$33.81 ৳4,222

112.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$86.6 ৳10.8K

455.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$50.6 ৳6,313

512.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$168 ৳21.0K

528.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$116 ৳14.5K

466.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.6K

$756 ৳94.4K

219.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$98.7 ৳12.3K

502.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.79

-48.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Tongi: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Tongi

$51 15.4% 83.7% $259

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Tongi

$108 32.9% 54.4% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Tongi

$50 15.2% 53.9% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Tongi

$42 12.7% 55.8% $53

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Tongi

$53 16.2% 30.7% $23

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Tongi

$4.2 * 1.3% 92.9% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Tongi

$20 6.2% 59.9% $30

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $87 in Tongi. 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 6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $9 in Tongi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $108 – making Tongi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇩 Tongi

🕒 Local time

23:28 11:28 PM

22:28 10:28 PM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

406,420

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.01 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.15 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 November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 125 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.01 USD). 1 EUR = 140 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.15 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Tongi 1,060 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Tongi

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 Tongi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 185% more than Tongi, 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 $492 in Tongi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tongi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $87 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $9 in Tongi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 119% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $328 in Tongi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

If budget matters most, go with Tongi. 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.