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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $900 in Tutrakan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,411 in Tutrakan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,922 in Tutrakan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Tutrakan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tutrakan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Tutrakan 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$8.89 BGN 14.80

-77.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$35.84 BGN 59.6

-48.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.92 BGN 14.84

-16.14%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.94 BGN 3.23

4.12%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.38 BGN 2.29

-38.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.87 BGN 1.45

-58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.80 BGN 3.00

18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.33 BGN 3.87

54.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.72 BGN 2.86

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.88 BGN 1.46

78.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.81 BGN 3.01

-34.25%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.19 BGN 5.30

-39.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.22 BGN 15.33

75.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.85 BGN 13.05

-61.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.38 BGN 18.94

-3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.56 BGN 2.59

73.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.87 BGN 3.11

-37.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.78 BGN 2.96

-5.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.22 BGN 3.70

-27.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.05 BGN 1.74

31.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.00 BGN 1.66

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.06 BGN 1.76

-36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.75 BGN 1.24

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.59 BGN 5.98

29.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.43 BGN 10.70

174.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.04 BGN 1.72

78.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.68 BGN 2.79

96.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.89 BGN 1.49

-1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$26.84 BGN 44.65

-27.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.16 BGN 1.94

17.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.67 BGN 1.12

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$10.50 BGN 17.47

-21.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.48 BGN 2.46

-17.57%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$32.0K BGN 53.3K

-33.35%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$26.7K BGN 44.4K

-15.52%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$97.1 BGN 162

-27.25%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$16.39 BGN 27.27

-14.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$13.40 BGN 22.29

30.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$29.93 BGN 49.80

40.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$14.93 BGN 24.83

-53.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.29 BGN 12.13

-18.79%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$325 BGN 540

-4.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$5,521 BGN 9,185

169.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$52.6 BGN 87.5

5.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$29.81 BGN 49.58

-12.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$79.7 BGN 133

4.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$74.4 BGN 124

-5.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$286 BGN 476

51.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$233 BGN 387

2.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$469 BGN 781

75.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$358 BGN 595

43.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,322 BGN 2,199

44.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,097 BGN 1,824

33.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tutrakan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $286 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Tutrakan. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $224 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,350 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $325 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $900 in Tutrakan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $900 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.