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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Kakanj vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,439 per month in Kakanj vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,959 per month in Kakanj vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kakanj costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kakanj and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kakanj 31% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 BAM 12.25

$1.94 ฿63.5

275.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.74 BAM 60.1

$18.64 ฿609

91.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 BAM 9.85

$7.82 ฿255

-25.06%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.77

$1.95 ฿63.8

-15.38%

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

$1.73 BAM 2.91

$0.85 ฿27.77

103.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 BAM 1.93

$0.35 ฿11.58

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 BAM 3.41

$2.13 ฿69.6

-4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 BAM 3.56

$3.73 ฿122

-43.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 BAM 2.29

$1.71 ฿56.0

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$1.63 ฿53.2

-23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 BAM 2.97

$1.14 ฿37.15

55.26%

Eggs

$2.87 BAM 4.82

$1.93 ฿63.1

48.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 BAM 13.33

$16.21 ฿530

-51.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.68 BAM 12.91

$3.12 ฿102

146.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 BAM 19.93

$10.90 ฿356

8.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 BAM 2.41

$2.75 ฿90.0

-48.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 BAM 2.73

$1.21 ฿39.52

33.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 BAM 3.19

$1.62 ฿53.0

17.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 BAM 2.91

$1.59 ฿51.8

8.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 BAM 1.80

$1.40 ฿45.70

-23.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.04

$1.17 ฿38.17

3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 BAM 1.88

$0.66 ฿21.60

69.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BAM 1.29

$0.53 ฿17.22

45.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 BAM 5.98

$4.69 ฿153

-24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 BAM 11.33

$18.66 ฿609

-63.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BAM 1.45

$1.80 ฿58.8

-52.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 BAM 2.06

$3.23 ฿106

-61.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 BAM 3.10

$0.90 ฿29.26

104.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.26 BAM 59.2

$19.21 ฿628

83.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$1.41 ฿45.91

3.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 BAM 1.39

$1.29 ฿42.12

-35.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 BAM 15.30

$7.84 ฿256

16.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.56

$1.27 ฿41.58

19.69%

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

$26.5K BAM 44.5K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

24.48%

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

$26.3K BAM 44.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

18.60%

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

$158 BAM 265

$69.1 ฿2,256

128.39%

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

$18.52 BAM 31.11

$14.08 ฿460

31.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 BAM 40.06

$18.00 ฿588

32.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.56 BAM 49.66

$41.06 ฿1,341

-28.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.72 BAM 18.00

$6.96 ฿227

54.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 BAM 9.53

$5.92 ฿193

-4.22%

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

$170 BAM 286

$299 ฿9,766

-43.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,374 BAM 5,669

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-77.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 BAM 117

$54.7 ฿1,787

26.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 BAM 59.2

$26.77 ฿874

31.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 BAM 149

$85.0 ฿2,776

4.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 BAM 197

$70.6 ฿2,306

65.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 BAM 435

$428 ฿14.0K

-39.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 BAM 280

$237 ฿7,752

-29.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 BAM 608

$801 ฿26.2K

-54.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 BAM 527

$515 ฿16.8K

-39.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,753 BAM 4,626

$1,975 ฿64.5K

39.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,066 BAM 3,471

$1,475 ฿48.2K

40.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

-15.40%

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

Last update for Kakanj: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Kakanj versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 $36.00 in Kakanj versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Kakanj vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Kakanj 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

Kakanj vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kakanj costs about 6% 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 $1,379 per month in Kakanj and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. 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 $170 per month in Kakanj and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Kakanj – 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 $920 in Kakanj and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $920 in Kakanj. 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, Kakanj makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.