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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $850 per month in Tesanj vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Tesanj vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,769 per month in Tesanj vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tesanj is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 BAM 5.91

$1.96 ฿65.9

76.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.59 BAM 28.37

$18.35 ฿617

-9.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.89 BAM 4.95

$7.48 ฿252

-61.36%

Cappuccino

$0.92 BAM 1.57

$2.02 ฿67.8

-54.46%

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

$1.43 BAM 2.45

$0.85 ฿28.52

68.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 BAM 1.55

$0.36 ฿11.97

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 BAM 3.43

$2.14 ฿71.9

-6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 BAM 2.99

$3.59 ฿121

-51.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 BAM 1.39

$1.65 ฿55.5

-50.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 BAM 1.57

$1.57 ฿52.7

-41.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.93

$1.19 ฿40.05

93.28%

Eggs

$2.89 BAM 4.94

$1.94 ฿65.1

48.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 BAM 17.39

$16.19 ฿545

-37.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 BAM 12.83

$2.99 ฿101

150.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 BAM 22.46

$10.94 ฿368

20.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.14

$2.71 ฿91.2

-53.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 BAM 2.77

$1.17 ฿39.27

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BAM 3.30

$1.69 ฿56.8

14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 BAM 2.86

$1.60 ฿54.0

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 BAM 1.43

$1.38 ฿46.56

-39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 BAM 1.28

$1.20 ฿40.47

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 BAM 1.57

$0.67 ฿22.51

37.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 BAM 1.74

$0.56 ฿18.74

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 BAM 6.17

$4.64 ฿156

-22.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 BAM 13.78

$17.62 ฿593

-54.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 BAM 2.08

$1.86 ฿62.6

-34.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 BAM 3.36

$3.30 ฿111

-40.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 BAM 3.12

$0.88 ฿29.70

106.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.82 BAM 61.3

$19.34 ฿651

85.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$1.36 ฿45.92

-14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BAM 0.96

$1.34 ฿45.00

-58.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.47 BAM 17.91

$8.21 ฿276

27.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.54

$1.22 ฿41.20

21.31%

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

$23.1K BAM 39.5K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

8.28%

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

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

15.80%

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

$124 BAM 212

$70.7 ฿2,378

75.17%

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

$19.14 BAM 32.74

$14.04 ฿472

36.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.79 BAM 49.24

$17.49 ฿589

64.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 BAM 51.3

$42.15 ฿1,418

-28.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.05 BAM 18.90

$6.88 ฿231

60.61%

Cinema Ticket

$2.97 BAM 5.08

$5.92 ฿199

-49.83%

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

$151 BAM 257

$309 ฿10.4K

-51.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,244 BAM 5,548

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-78.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 BAM 120

$55.8 ฿1,876

26.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.36 BAM 58.8

$26.11 ฿879

31.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 BAM 167

$83.0 ฿2,793

17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 BAM 201

$70.5 ฿2,371

66.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 BAM 437

$432 ฿14.5K

-40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 BAM 291

$239 ฿8,040

-28.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 BAM 620

$822 ฿27.7K

-55.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 BAM 539

$512 ฿17.2K

-38.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 BAM 4,222

$1,915 ฿64.4K

28.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 BAM 3,106

$1,467 ฿49.4K

23.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$687 BAM 1,175

$579 ฿19.5K

18.61%

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 Tesanj: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Tesanj 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 19% higher in Tesanj, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Tesanj versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $243 – making Tesanj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Tesanj, 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 $1,276 per month in Tesanj 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 Tesanj, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $151 per month in Tesanj and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $850 in Tesanj and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tesanj costs $850 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. 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 Tesanj. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.