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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Boryeong versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,362 in Boryeong versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,252 in Boryeong versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Boryeong is roughly 74% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boryeong is 10% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.72 ₩12.9K

$1.95 ฿62.8

347.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 ₩80.1K

$18.43 ฿594

193.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₩9,278

$7.50 ฿241

-16.27%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₩5,565

$1.93 ฿62.3

94.82%

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

$1.71 ₩2,535

$0.78 ฿25.08

119.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,233

$0.32 ฿10.42

159.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 ₩5,556

$2.15 ฿69.2

74.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 ₩8,727

$3.71 ฿120

59.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,200

$1.71 ฿55.2

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 ₩5,113

$1.56 ฿50.3

121.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,646

$1.18 ฿38.06

166.10%

Eggs

$3.21 ₩4,747

$1.98 ฿63.9

62.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 ₩21.1K

$16.04 ฿517

-11.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.70 ₩15.8K

$3.17 ฿102

237.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.77 ₩51.4K

$10.94 ฿353

217.82%

Apples (1kg)

$7.80 ₩11.5K

$2.63 ฿84.7

196.58%

Banana (1kg)

$3.44 ₩5,083

$1.17 ฿37.61

194.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.72 ₩8,460

$1.65 ฿53.0

246.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 ₩9,789

$1.54 ฿49.51

329.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 ₩5,773

$1.38 ฿44.34

182.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 ₩4,259

$1.17 ฿37.54

146.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 ₩3,735

$0.66 ฿21.25

283.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,717

$0.51 ฿16.55

127.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,990

$4.52 ฿146

-25.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 ₩29.2K

$18.32 ฿590

7.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₩3,460

$1.80 ฿57.9

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₩4,897

$3.18 ฿102

4.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,659

$0.90 ฿28.97

24.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ₩5,068

$1.41 ฿45.50

143.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩851

$1.31 ฿42.15

-55.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ₩13.4K

$8.09 ฿261

11.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₩1,755

$1.28 ฿41.08

-7.03%

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

$27.5K ₩40.6M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

29.09%

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

$25.5K ₩37.6M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

17.28%

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

$166 ₩246.1K

$69.2 ฿2,230

140.52%

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

$34.33 ₩50.8K

$13.97 ฿450

145.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.09 ₩32.7K

$17.95 ฿578

23.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 ₩69.6K

$42.31 ฿1,363

11.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 ₩16.4K

$5.92 ฿191

86.99%

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

$414 ₩612.3K

$299 ฿9,640

38.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K ₩34.3M

$14.8K ฿478.4K

56.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 ₩87.4K

$56.2 ฿1,810

5.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.70 ₩69.0K

$26.94 ฿868

73.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 ₩116.3K

$84.9 ฿2,735

-7.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩170.6K

$71.8 ฿2,314

60.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 ₩669.0K

$435 ฿14.0K

4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 ₩546.0K

$240 ฿7,727

54.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ₩1.6M

$798 ฿25.7K

34.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ₩1.1M

$498 ฿16.1K

52.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,509 ₩12.6M

$1,995 ฿64.3K

326.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,721 ₩8.5M

$1,532 ฿49.4K

273.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 ₩2.0M

$628 ฿20.2K

112.40%

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 Boryeong: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Boryeong and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boryeong pays 112% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54 in Boryeong vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $497 vs $244 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Boryeong and Chiang Mai differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $845 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Boryeong pays 112% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $452 in Boryeong versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $414 in Boryeong versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $54.0 in Boryeong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $1,472 in Boryeong, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Boryeong. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Boryeong 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.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Boryeong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.