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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $695 in Bozhou versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,082 in Bozhou versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,469 in Bozhou versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bozhou costs roughly 20% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bozhou 48% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.37 ¥9.25

$1.94 ฿63.5

-29.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.06 ¥143

$18.64 ฿609

12.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 ¥31.24

$7.82 ฿255

-41.05%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥20.98

$1.95 ฿63.8

58.97%

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

$0.35 ¥2.40

$0.85 ฿27.77

-58.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.35 ฿11.58

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$2.13 ฿69.6

-46.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.04

$3.73 ฿122

-56.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.41

$1.71 ฿56.0

-36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.93

$1.63 ฿53.2

-1.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.13

$1.14 ฿37.15

-21.05%

Eggs

$1.58 ¥10.70

$1.93 ฿63.1

-18.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.9

$16.21 ฿530

-21.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 ¥21.66

$3.12 ฿102

2.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 ¥70.0

$10.90 ฿356

-5.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.80

$2.75 ฿90.0

-36.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.42

$1.21 ฿39.52

2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.56

$1.62 ฿53.0

-12.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.59 ฿51.8

-28.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.64

$1.40 ฿45.70

-51.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.55

$1.17 ฿38.17

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.09

$0.66 ฿21.60

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.53 ฿17.22

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ¥21.76

$4.69 ฿153

-31.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 ¥64.9

$18.66 ฿609

-48.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$1.80 ฿58.8

-57.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.87

$3.23 ฿106

-50.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.90 ฿29.26

-67.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.77 ¥114

$19.21 ฿628

-12.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$1.41 ฿45.91

-34.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.33

$1.29 ฿42.12

-73.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 ¥45.35

$7.84 ฿256

-14.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.02

$1.27 ฿41.58

-7.09%

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

$19.5K ¥132.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-8.30%

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

$16.7K ¥113.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-24.92%

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

$46.12 ¥312

$69.1 ฿2,256

-33.23%

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

$9.52 ¥64.5

$14.08 ฿460

-32.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.12 ¥48.21

$18.00 ฿588

-60.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ¥287

$41.06 ฿1,341

3.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.05 ¥95.1

$6.96 ฿227

101.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 ¥43.65

$5.92 ฿193

8.78%

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

$337 ¥2,282

$299 ฿9,766

12.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ¥115.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

14.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.68 ¥296

$54.7 ฿1,787

-20.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.91 ¥203

$26.77 ฿874

11.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ¥480

$85.0 ฿2,776

-16.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.1 ¥502

$70.6 ฿2,306

5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ¥1,920

$428 ฿14.0K

-33.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ¥1,288

$237 ฿7,752

-19.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,965

$801 ฿26.2K

-26.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ¥2,408

$515 ฿16.8K

-31.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 ¥22.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

66.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,759 ¥11.9K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

19.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$734 ¥4,971

$617 ฿20.2K

18.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

-22.60%

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

Last update for Bozhou: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Bozhou and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bozhou pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Bozhou vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $246, with Bozhou cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Bozhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bozhou pays 19% 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: $283 in Bozhou versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bozhou – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $695 per month in Bozhou versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bozhou gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Bozhou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bozhou 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 Bozhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.