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 $934 per month in Kakanj vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,465 per month in Kakanj vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,996 per month in Kakanj vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kakanj costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kakanj and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kakanj 30% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 BAM 12.38

$1.96 ฿65.9

269.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.97 BAM 61.5

$18.35 ฿617

96.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.72 BAM 9.79

$7.48 ฿252

-23.53%

Cappuccino

$1.59 BAM 2.71

$2.02 ฿67.8

-21.29%

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

$1.81 BAM 3.10

$0.85 ฿28.52

112.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$0.36 ฿11.97

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$2.14 ฿71.9

-5.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 BAM 3.47

$3.59 ฿121

-43.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 BAM 2.43

$1.65 ฿55.5

-13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 BAM 2.16

$1.57 ฿52.7

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 BAM 2.99

$1.19 ฿40.05

47.06%

Eggs

$3.00 BAM 5.14

$1.94 ฿65.1

54.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 BAM 13.27

$16.19 ฿545

-52.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 BAM 13.25

$2.99 ฿101

159.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 BAM 20.88

$10.94 ฿368

11.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 BAM 2.39

$2.71 ฿91.2

-48.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 BAM 2.83

$1.17 ฿39.27

41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 BAM 3.27

$1.69 ฿56.8

13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 BAM 2.96

$1.60 ฿54.0

8.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BAM 1.84

$1.38 ฿46.56

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.97

$1.20 ฿40.47

-4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 BAM 1.99

$0.67 ฿22.51

73.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.30

$0.56 ฿18.74

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 BAM 6.12

$4.64 ฿156

-22.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 BAM 14.05

$17.62 ฿593

-53.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BAM 1.55

$1.86 ฿62.6

-51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$3.30 ฿111

-63.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 BAM 3.11

$0.88 ฿29.70

106.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.38 BAM 60.5

$19.34 ฿651

82.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 BAM 2.45

$1.36 ฿45.92

5.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.34

$1.34 ฿45.00

-41.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 BAM 15.39

$8.21 ฿276

9.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.60

$1.22 ฿41.20

24.59%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

24.47%

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

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

15.79%

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

$162 BAM 277

$70.7 ฿2,378

129.21%

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

$19.11 BAM 32.68

$14.04 ฿472

36.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.48 BAM 40.17

$17.49 ฿589

34.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 BAM 49.75

$42.15 ฿1,418

-30.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 BAM 18.55

$6.88 ฿231

57.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 BAM 9.78

$5.92 ฿199

-3.38%

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

$171 BAM 293

$309 ฿10.4K

-44.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,325 BAM 5,687

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-77.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 BAM 120

$55.8 ฿1,876

25.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.30 BAM 60.4

$26.11 ฿879

35.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 BAM 152

$83.0 ฿2,793

7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BAM 204

$70.5 ฿2,371

69.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 BAM 444

$432 ฿14.5K

-39.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 BAM 284

$239 ฿8,040

-30.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 BAM 621

$822 ฿27.7K

-55.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 BAM 534

$512 ฿17.2K

-39.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,740 BAM 4,686

$1,915 ฿64.4K

43.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 BAM 3,193

$1,467 ฿49.4K

27.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $260 in Kakanj versus $432 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Kakanj vs $243 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 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,401 per month in Kakanj and $1,292 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 $171 per month in Kakanj and $309 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 10% 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 $934 in Kakanj and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $934 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.