🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $527 in Borujerd versus $861 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $829 in Borujerd versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,131 in Borujerd versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.
🌍Living in Borujerd costs roughly 39% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Borujerd61% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Borujerd
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.98$3.98
$1.96฿65.9
103.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.16$17.16
$18.35฿617
-6.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.42$4.42
$7.48฿252
-40.91%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.63$0.63
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05$1.05
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.14$1.14
$2.02฿67.8
-43.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43$0.43
$0.85฿28.52
-49.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94$0.94
$0.36฿11.97
161.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.14฿71.9
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.59฿121
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Borujerd
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.64$0.64
$1.65฿55.5
-61.21%
White Bread(500g)
$0.53$0.53
$1.57฿52.7
-66.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.93$1.93
$1.19฿40.05
62.18%
Eggs
$1.13$1.13
$1.94฿65.1
-41.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.47$3.47
$16.19฿545
-78.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.31$3.31
$2.99฿101
10.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.97$9.97
$10.94฿368
-8.87%
Apples(1kg)
$0.85$0.85
$2.71฿91.2
-68.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.36$1.36
$1.17฿39.27
16.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.84$0.84
$1.69฿56.8
-50.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.58$0.58
$1.60฿54.0
-63.75%
Potato(1kg)
$0.52$0.52
$1.38฿46.56
-62.32%
Onion(1kg)
$0.46$0.46
$1.20฿40.47
-61.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.59$0.59
$0.67฿22.51
-11.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.23$0.23
$0.56฿18.74
-58.93%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.66$0.66
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.46$0.46
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37$1.37
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.26$2.26
$4.64฿156
-51.29%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$17.62฿593
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.86฿62.6
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.30฿111
-
🚌 Getting Around
Borujerd
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.19$0.19
$0.88฿29.70
-78.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.18$10.18
$19.34฿651
-47.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.33$0.33
$1.36฿45.92
-75.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29$0.29
$1.34฿45.00
-78.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.03$2.03
$8.21฿276
-75.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.77$0.77
$1.22฿41.20
-36.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$71.2K$71.2K
$21.4K฿718.5K
233.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.8K$54.8K
$22.5K฿758.1K
143.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Borujerd
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$15.50$15.50
$70.7฿2,378
-78.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.02$2.02
$14.04฿472
-85.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.87$5.87
$17.49฿589
-66.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Borujerd
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.84$15.84
$42.15฿1,418
-62.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.43$12.43
$6.88฿231
80.67%
Cinema Ticket
$1.52$1.52
$5.92฿199
-74.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Borujerd
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$118$118
$309฿10.4K
-61.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,971$1,971
$14.9K฿500.7K
-86.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Borujerd
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.65$22.65
$55.8฿1,876
-59.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.43$25.43
$26.11฿879
-2.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$112$112
$83.0฿2,793
34.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.7$70.7
$70.5฿2,371
0.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Borujerd
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$287$287
$432฿14.5K
-33.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$196$196
$239฿8,040
-17.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$623$623
$822฿27.7K
-24.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$318$318
$512฿17.2K
-37.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,146$1,146
$1,915฿64.4K
-40.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$588$588
$1,467฿49.4K
-59.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Borujerd
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$579฿19.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
22.24
5
344.80%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Borujerd: July 11, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $287 in Borujerd and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $17.00 in Borujerd vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $107 vs $243 per month, with Borujerd cheaper across the board.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Borujerd vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Borujerd or Chiang Mai?
Borujerd wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Borujerd the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Borujerd and in Chiang Mai?
You'd need roughly $790 in Borujerd and $1,292 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Borujerd compared to Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $287 in Borujerd versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Borujerd compared to Chiang Mai?
All in, you'll spend $527 per month in Borujerd versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Borujerd compared to Chiang Mai?
A monthly transit pass in Borujerd runs roughly 90% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $800/month in Borujerd or in Chiang Mai?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Borujerd gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Borujerd or Chiang Mai?
Both work as nomad bases, but Borujerd delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $527 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Borujerd hard to pass up.
How safe is Borujerd compared to Chiang Mai?
Safety-wise, Borujerd and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Borujerd gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.