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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Tesanj vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,322 per month in Tesanj vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,772 per month in Tesanj vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tesanj costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 BAM 5.89

$1.94 ฿63.5

80.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.66 BAM 27.99

$18.64 ฿609

-10.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.00 BAM 5.04

$7.82 ฿255

-61.64%

Cappuccino

$0.85 BAM 1.43

$1.95 ฿63.8

-56.41%

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

$1.48 BAM 2.49

$0.85 ฿27.77

74.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 BAM 1.50

$0.35 ฿11.58

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 BAM 3.51

$2.13 ฿69.6

-1.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 BAM 3.05

$3.73 ฿122

-51.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 BAM 1.43

$1.71 ฿56.0

-50.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 BAM 1.51

$1.63 ฿53.2

-44.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 BAM 4.03

$1.14 ฿37.15

110.53%

Eggs

$2.78 BAM 4.67

$1.93 ฿63.1

44.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 BAM 16.40

$16.21 ฿530

-39.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 BAM 12.27

$3.12 ฿102

133.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 BAM 22.10

$10.90 ฿356

20.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.09

$2.75 ฿90.0

-54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 BAM 2.85

$1.21 ฿39.52

39.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 BAM 3.22

$1.62 ฿53.0

18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 BAM 2.78

$1.59 ฿51.8

4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 BAM 1.34

$1.40 ฿45.70

-42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 BAM 1.18

$1.17 ฿38.17

-40.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 BAM 1.56

$0.66 ฿21.60

40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 BAM 1.62

$0.53 ฿17.22

81.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 BAM 5.86

$4.69 ฿153

-25.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 BAM 14.26

$18.66 ฿609

-54.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.11

$1.80 ฿58.8

-30.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 BAM 3.46

$3.23 ฿106

-36.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 BAM 3.11

$0.90 ฿29.26

105.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.58 BAM 59.8

$19.21 ฿628

85.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 BAM 1.95

$1.41 ฿45.91

-17.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 BAM 0.88

$1.29 ฿42.12

-59.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.67 BAM 17.93

$7.84 ฿256

36.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.27 ฿41.58

13.39%

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

$23.4K BAM 39.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

9.81%

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

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

20.28%

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

$124 BAM 209

$69.1 ฿2,256

79.85%

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

$19.29 BAM 32.41

$14.08 ฿460

37.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.67 BAM 48.17

$18.00 ฿588

59.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 BAM 49.58

$41.06 ฿1,341

-28.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.80 BAM 18.15

$6.96 ฿227

55.17%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 BAM 4.94

$5.92 ฿193

-50.34%

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

$150 BAM 251

$299 ฿9,766

-49.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,312 BAM 5,565

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-77.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 BAM 121

$54.7 ฿1,787

31.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 BAM 59.5

$26.77 ฿874

32.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 BAM 168

$85.0 ฿2,776

17.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 BAM 201

$70.6 ฿2,306

69.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 BAM 440

$428 ฿14.0K

-38.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 BAM 283

$237 ฿7,752

-29.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 BAM 621

$801 ฿26.2K

-53.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 526

$515 ฿16.8K

-39.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,603 BAM 4,373

$1,975 ฿64.5K

31.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,839 BAM 3,090

$1,475 ฿48.2K

24.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 BAM 1,201

$617 ฿20.2K

15.79%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Tesanj 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.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Tesanj, 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 $17.00 in Tesanj versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $246 – 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

Tesanj costs about 1% 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 $1,308 per month in Tesanj 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 $150 per month in Tesanj 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 11% cheaper in Tesanj – 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 $872 in Tesanj 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 $872 in Tesanj. 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, Tesanj makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.