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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $858 in Travnik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,337 in Travnik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,817 in Travnik, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Travnik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Travnik are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Travnik 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.99 BAM 10.06

-67.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$29.60 BAM 49.73

-37.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.83 BAM 14.83

-11.44%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.16 BAM 1.94

68.10%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.20 BAM 2.01

-29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.57 BAM 0.96

-38.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.78 BAM 2.99

19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.09 BAM 1.83

242.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.02 BAM 1.71

67.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.89 BAM 1.50

83.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.43 BAM 2.41

-20.28%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.90 BAM 3.19

1.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.30 BAM 15.63

74.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.04 BAM 10.14

-48.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.20 BAM 17.13

6.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.92 BAM 1.54

198.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.48 BAM 2.49

-18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.51 BAM 2.53

7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.44 BAM 2.42

10.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.62 BAM 1.04

125.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.87 BAM 1.45

34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.23 BAM 2.06

-46.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.76 BAM 1.28

-30.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.80 BAM 6.39

23.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.22 BAM 7.09

342.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.75 BAM 1.26

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.14 BAM 1.92

183.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.77 BAM 2.97

-49.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$35.30 BAM 59.3

-45.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.49 BAM 2.50

-5.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.26 BAM 0.43

396.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.11 BAM 15.30

-13.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.49 BAM 2.50

-14.77%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$28.8K BAM 48.3K

-26.05%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.8K BAM 45.0K

-17.14%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$144 BAM 242

-52.09%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$19.21 BAM 32.27

-26.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$23.44 BAM 39.38

-23.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$29.03 BAM 48.77

41.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$10.75 BAM 18.06

-35.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.82 BAM 8.10

22.82%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$128 BAM 215

134.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,710 BAM 6,233

303.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$71.5 BAM 120

-23.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$37.11 BAM 62.4

-27.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$88.0 BAM 148

-3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$118 BAM 198

-39.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$261 BAM 438

64.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$169 BAM 284

40.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$368 BAM 618

117.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$320 BAM 537

61.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,593 BAM 4,356

-23.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,854 BAM 3,115

-20.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$574 BAM 964

7.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Travnik: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $261 in Travnik. 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 8% 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 $30.00 in Travnik. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $180 in Travnik – so Travnik wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Travnik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Travnik, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,287 in Travnik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Travnik, 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 $128 in Travnik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $858 in Travnik, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Travnik costs $858 versus $866 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 Travnik. 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.