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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,586 in Tubli, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,547 in Tubli, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,508 in Tubli, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 40% cheaper than Tubli, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Tubli is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$6.61 BHD 2.49

-68.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$53.5 BHD 20.15

-62.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.38 BHD 2.78

-21.54%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.58 BHD 0.97

-29.07%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.77 BHD 0.29

1.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.26 BHD 0.10

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$6.72 BHD 2.53

-65.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$10.06 BHD 3.79

-63.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.43 BHD 0.54

41.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.04 BHD 0.39

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.27 BHD 0.86

-37.44%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.22 BHD 0.84

-1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.82 BHD 3.33

80.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.59 BHD 2.48

-53.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$8.78 BHD 3.31

12.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.29 BHD 0.86

14.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.31 BHD 0.87

-52.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.93 BHD 0.73

-15.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.44 BHD 0.54

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.05 BHD 0.40

18.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.36 BHD 0.51

-16.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.51 BHD 0.57

-50.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.79 BHD 0.30

-36.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$5.35 BHD 2.02

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$18.87 BHD 7.11

-4.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$3.62 BHD 1.37

-53.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.60 BHD 0.98

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$1.62 BHD 0.61

-41.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$53.2 BHD 20.05

3.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$5.43 BHD 2.05

-77.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$3.39 BHD 1.28

-84.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$16.00 BHD 6.03

-85.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.66 BHD 0.25

118.18%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

-42.37%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$20.3K BHD 7,636

34.78%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$91.9 BHD 34.63

-29.34%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$24.67 BHD 9.30

-45.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$34.71 BHD 13.08

-39.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$160 BHD 60.3

-74.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$196 BHD 73.9

-97.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$10.79 BHD 4.07

-37.81%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$485 BHD 183

62.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$3,956 BHD 1,491

282.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$50.5 BHD 19.05

11.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$56.5 BHD 21.30

-55.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$87.0 BHD 32.79

6.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$78.4 BHD 29.54

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,008 BHD 380

-52.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$656 BHD 247

-56.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,566 BHD 590

-41.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,178 BHD 444

-54.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.21

-10.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tubli: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,008 in Tubli. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $53.0 in Tubli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $251 – making Chiang Mai 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 Tubli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tubli costs about 67% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,380 in Tubli. 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $485 in Tubli. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Tubli, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Tubli at $1,586. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tubli it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,586 in Tubli. 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, Tubli makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.