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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,647 in Tubli, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,506 in Tubli, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,365 in Tubli, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 47% cheaper than Tubli, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Tubli is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.44 BHD 2.43

-69.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$53.5 BHD 20.17

-65.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.51 BHD 2.83

4.13%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.58 BHD 0.97

-24.42%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.83 BHD 0.31

2.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.26 BHD 0.10

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$7.89 BHD 2.97

-73.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$10.69 BHD 4.03

-65.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.71 BHD 0.65

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.09 BHD 0.41

49.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.32 BHD 0.87

-50.86%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.50 BHD 0.94

-22.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.93 BHD 3.37

81.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.59 BHD 2.86

-58.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.34 BHD 3.90

5.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.36 BHD 0.89

16.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.09 BHD 0.79

-42.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.75 BHD 0.66

-7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.17 BHD 0.44

35.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.90 BHD 0.34

55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.09 BHD 0.41

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.51 BHD 0.57

-56.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.89 BHD 0.33

-40.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.54 BHD 2.47

-28.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$18.30 BHD 6.90

1.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.35 BHD 1.26

-46.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.26 BHD 1.23

-0.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.58 BHD 0.59

-43.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$52.8 BHD 19.90

-63.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$4.76 BHD 1.79

-70.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$3.96 BHD 1.49

-67.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$26.41 BHD 9.96

-70.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.56 BHD 0.21

126.79%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$36.6K BHD 13.8K

-41.83%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.5K BHD 7,715

8.54%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$92.5 BHD 34.86

-25.29%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$26.58 BHD 10.02

-47.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$38.39 BHD 14.47

-53.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$162 BHD 61.1

-74.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$77.9 BHD 29.35

-91.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$10.49 BHD 3.96

-43.57%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$394 BHD 149

-24.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,049 BHD 1,526

269.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$46.67 BHD 17.59

17.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$63.5 BHD 23.96

-57.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$83.2 BHD 31.38

2.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$79.3 BHD 29.89

-10.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,014 BHD 382

-57.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$668 BHD 252

-64.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,613 BHD 608

-50.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,193 BHD 450

-56.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

-41.59%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tubli: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,014 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $53.0 in Tubli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $262 – 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 90% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,471 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $394 in Tubli. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $866, than in Tubli at $1,647. 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 $866 versus $1,647 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.