Chiang Mai vs Bangkok Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Bangkok (Thailand) · Overall index 36.1
Summary
- Overall, Bangkok is 39% more expensive than Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Bangkok is 86% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
- Telecom in Bangkok is 34% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Bangkok | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +86% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $785 | +65% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $630 | +94% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $1,512 | +88% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $1,069 | +97% |
| Groceries | +34% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.61 | +15% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $2.14 | +49% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $2.56 | +52% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $2.53 | +42% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $6.93 | +45% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $6.15 | +27% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $10.3 | +53% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $2.84 | +33% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $0.93 | +18% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $2.4 | +32% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $2.38 | +8% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $1.38 | +29% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $1.39 | +48% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $1.2 | +29% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $1.22 | +40% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $7.66 | +35% |
| Transport | +32% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $1.01 | +42% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $44.6 | +17% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $1.59 | +43% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $0.81 | +45% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.37 | +28% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $10,133 | +19% |
| Dining out | +30% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $8.84 | +27% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $47.5 | +19% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $5.21 | +35% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $2.15 | +33% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $1.11 | +23% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $3.3 | +37% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $3.74 | +42% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $0.78 | +22% |
| Telecom | +34% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $33.4 | +34% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $37.1 | +39% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.19 | +27% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $8.29 | +36% |
| Utilities & household | +27% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $81.5 | +21% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.09 | +12% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $2.32 | +47% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $0.67 | +20% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $10.8 | +34% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $37.2 | +14% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $7.95 | +24% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $15.5 | +46% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $12.7 | +31% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $991 | +22% |
3,386 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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