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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $910 in Tutrakan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,407 in Tutrakan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,904 in Tutrakan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Tutrakan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tutrakan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Tutrakan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.83 BGN 14.70

-78.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$35.18 BGN 58.5

-47.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.10 BGN 15.13

-14.07%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.96 BGN 3.27

-0.51%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.37 BGN 2.27

-37.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.91 BGN 1.51

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.80 BGN 2.99

18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.30 BGN 3.83

62.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.73 BGN 2.87

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.96 BGN 1.59

69.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.89 BGN 3.14

-39.68%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.17 BGN 5.28

-39.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.18 BGN 15.27

76.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.90 BGN 13.14

-60.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.69 BGN 19.45

-6.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.51 BGN 2.51

82.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.95 BGN 3.24

-37.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.82 BGN 3.02

-10.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.25 BGN 3.75

-29.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.04 BGN 1.73

34.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.00 BGN 1.67

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.00 BGN 1.67

-34.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.75 BGN 1.25

-29.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.53 BGN 5.87

32.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.20 BGN 10.32

200.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.07 BGN 1.79

68.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.69 BGN 2.82

91.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.86 BGN 1.43

4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$26.98 BGN 44.88

-28.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.15 BGN 1.92

22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.65 BGN 1.08

98.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$10.49 BGN 17.45

-25.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-15.33%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.3K BGN 53.7K

-34.08%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.3K BGN 43.7K

-15.53%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$98.7 BGN 164

-30.02%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$16.64 BGN 27.69

-15.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.20 BGN 21.97

36.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$28.95 BGN 48.16

41.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$14.93 BGN 24.83

-53.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.15 BGN 11.90

-17.20%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$319 BGN 531

-6.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,532 BGN 9,202

170.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$54.1 BGN 90.0

1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$29.17 BGN 48.53

-8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$79.7 BGN 133

6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$73.1 BGN 122

-3.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$285 BGN 475

50.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$234 BGN 390

1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$468 BGN 778

71.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$360 BGN 598

43.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,344 BGN 2,236

46.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,113 BGN 1,851

32.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

11.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tutrakan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $285 in Tutrakan. 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 $35.00 in Tutrakan. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Tutrakan – so Tutrakan 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 Tutrakan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tutrakan costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,364 in Tutrakan. 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 $319 in Tutrakan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Tutrakan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $910 in Tutrakan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $910 in Tutrakan. 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, Tutrakan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.