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: $1,463 in Boryeong versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Boryeong versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,300 in Boryeong versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Boryeong is roughly 54% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boryeong is 6% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.64 ₩12.9K

$2.10 ฿69.3

359.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.0 ₩91.2K

$19.84 ฿656

242.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 ₩9,697

$5.79 ฿191

24.87%

Cappuccino

$4.12 ₩5,520

$1.83 ฿60.4

125.14%

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

$1.57 ₩2,108

$0.78 ฿25.61

101.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₩1,118

$0.31 ฿10.37

167.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 ₩4,844

$2.34 ฿77.2

54.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 ₩7,764

$3.70 ฿122

56.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₩2,763

$2.03 ฿67.1

1.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 ₩4,062

$1.60 ฿52.7

89.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 ₩5,749

$1.42 ฿46.75

202.11%

Eggs

$3.41 ₩4,576

$2.18 ฿71.9

56.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.28 ₩23.2K

$15.91 ฿526

8.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 ₩13.2K

$3.07 ฿102

220.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.16 ₩33.7K

$9.87 ฿326

154.91%

Apples (1kg)

$7.46 ₩10.0K

$2.63 ฿86.8

183.65%

Banana (1kg)

$3.42 ₩4,583

$1.10 ฿36.19

210.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.77 ₩7,740

$1.63 ฿53.8

253.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ₩8,136

$1.53 ฿50.6

296.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₩4,987

$1.24 ฿41.13

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,357

$1.13 ฿37.37

121.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 ₩3,784

$0.74 ฿24.38

281.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₩1,441

$0.50 ฿16.48

114.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ₩4,591

$4.28 ฿141

-20.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ₩25.3K

$17.97 ฿594

5.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₩3,238

$1.70 ฿56.1

41.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₩4,214

$2.90 ฿95.7

8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,477

$0.94 ฿31.13

17.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 ₩4,872

$1.23 ฿40.76

195.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩783

$0.53 ฿17.66

9.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.15 ₩12.3K

$2.40 ฿79.3

281.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,007

$1.44 ฿47.55

4.17%

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

$28.8K ₩38.6M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

35.78%

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

$28.0K ₩37.6M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

2.68%

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

$202 ₩270.6K

$64.9 ฿2,145

210.81%

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

$35.51 ₩47.6K

$13.35 ฿441

165.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.80 ₩26.6K

$20.83 ฿688

-4.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ₩76.1K

$40.42 ฿1,336

40.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ₩14.8K

$3.95 ฿131

178.99%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 ₩15.1K

$6.71 ฿222

67.36%

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

$587 ₩786.6K

$787 ฿26.0K

-25.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K ₩30.7M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

51.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ₩78.3K

$56.2 ฿1,858

3.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.25 ₩44.6K

$24.95 ฿824

33.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 ₩93.9K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-24.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 ₩108.0K

$75.1 ฿2,482

7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ₩568.0K

$484 ฿16.0K

-12.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₩525.1K

$287 ฿9,491

36.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ₩1.5M

$910 ฿30.1K

23.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 ₩864.8K

$531 ฿17.5K

21.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,231 ₩8.4M

$1,980 ฿65.4K

214.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,992 ₩8.0M

$1,451 ฿47.9K

312.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,488 ₩2.0M

$605 ฿20.0K

145.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

5.57

-26.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Boryeong: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Boryeong and $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boryeong pays 146% 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: $68.0 in Boryeong vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $466 vs $242 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,463 vs $950 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 146% higher in Boryeong, 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: $424 in Boryeong versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $587 in Boryeong versus $787 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 $20.00 versus $68.0 in Boryeong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $1,463 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 54% less than in Boryeong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.