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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $887 per month in Maglaj vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,395 per month in Maglaj vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Maglaj vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maglaj costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Maglaj and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Maglaj 34% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 BAM 12.15

$1.96 ฿65.9

262.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.89 BAM 61.4

$18.35 ฿617

95.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 BAM 9.66

$7.48 ฿252

-24.47%

Cappuccino

$1.74 BAM 2.97

$2.02 ฿67.8

-13.86%

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

$1.80 BAM 3.08

$0.85 ฿28.52

111.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$0.36 ฿11.97

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 BAM 4.06

$2.14 ฿71.9

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$3.59 ฿121

-42.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 BAM 2.43

$1.65 ฿55.5

-13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 BAM 1.75

$1.57 ฿52.7

-34.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 BAM 3.08

$1.19 ฿40.05

51.26%

Eggs

$2.87 BAM 4.90

$1.94 ฿65.1

47.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 BAM 12.88

$16.19 ฿545

-53.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 BAM 12.46

$2.99 ฿101

143.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 BAM 16.87

$10.94 ฿368

-9.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$2.71 ฿91.2

-57.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 BAM 2.76

$1.17 ฿39.27

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 BAM 3.05

$1.69 ฿56.8

5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 BAM 2.94

$1.60 ฿54.0

7.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.06

$1.38 ฿46.56

-13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.20 ฿40.47

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 BAM 1.70

$0.67 ฿22.51

49.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.53

$0.56 ฿18.74

58.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 BAM 5.95

$4.64 ฿156

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 BAM 11.84

$17.62 ฿593

-60.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 BAM 2.05

$1.86 ฿62.6

-35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 BAM 1.98

$3.30 ฿111

-65.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 BAM 3.02

$0.88 ฿29.70

101.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.07 BAM 60.0

$19.34 ฿651

81.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 BAM 3.10

$1.36 ฿45.92

33.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 BAM 1.97

$1.34 ฿45.00

-14.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.64 BAM 18.20

$8.21 ฿276

29.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.54

$1.22 ฿41.20

22.13%

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

$24.0K BAM 41.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

12.63%

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

$26.2K BAM 44.8K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

16.28%

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

$124 BAM 213

$70.7 ฿2,378

75.85%

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

$19.33 BAM 33.06

$14.04 ฿472

37.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.62 BAM 48.95

$17.49 ฿589

63.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.00 BAM 51.3

$42.15 ฿1,418

-28.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.77 BAM 18.41

$6.88 ฿231

56.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 BAM 7.97

$5.92 ฿199

-21.28%

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

$152 BAM 260

$309 ฿10.4K

-50.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,266 BAM 5,585

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-78.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 BAM 121

$55.8 ฿1,876

26.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.38 BAM 58.8

$26.11 ฿879

31.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 BAM 167

$83.0 ฿2,793

17.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BAM 203

$70.5 ฿2,371

68.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 BAM 440

$432 ฿14.5K

-40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 BAM 292

$239 ฿8,040

-28.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 BAM 630

$822 ฿27.7K

-55.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 BAM 540

$512 ฿17.2K

-38.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 BAM 4,344

$1,915 ฿64.4K

32.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,805 BAM 3,088

$1,467 ฿49.4K

23.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$772 BAM 1,321

$579 ฿19.5K

33.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

-17.20%

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

Last update for Maglaj: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Maglaj 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.

Salaries run about 33% higher in Maglaj, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Maglaj versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Maglaj vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Maglaj 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

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

Maglaj costs about 3% 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 $1,330 per month in Maglaj 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 $152 per month in Maglaj 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 18% cheaper in Maglaj – 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 $887 in Maglaj 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 $887 in Maglaj. 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, Maglaj makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.