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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $690 in Budaiya versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,140 in Budaiya versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,591 in Budaiya versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Budaiya costs roughly 19% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Budaiya 48% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 BHD 1.99

$2.04 ฿68.4

159.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 BHD 20.22

$18.71 ฿626

186.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 BHD 2.70

$7.86 ฿263

-8.91%

Cappuccino

$5.03 BHD 1.90

$2.03 ฿67.9

147.78%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$0.80 ฿26.71

3.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 BHD 0.10

$0.35 ฿11.71

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 BHD 2.97

$2.14 ฿71.7

268.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.50 BHD 3.96

$3.67 ฿123

186.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 BHD 0.63

$1.73 ฿57.8

-4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 BHD 0.50

$1.57 ฿52.5

-15.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.20 ฿40.10

0.83%

Eggs

$1.61 BHD 0.61

$1.97 ฿66.0

-18.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.58 BHD 0.97

$16.23 ฿543

-84.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 BHD 2.98

$3.06 ฿102

158.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.92 BHD 1.48

$10.80 ฿361

-63.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 BHD 0.92

$2.77 ฿92.6

-12.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 BHD 0.77

$1.17 ฿39.05

73.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 BHD 0.66

$1.71 ฿57.1

1.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$1.59 ฿53.3

-31.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$1.39 ฿46.63

-43.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.16 ฿38.67

-6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 BHD 0.51

$0.66 ฿22.11

106.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 BHD 0.21

$0.52 ฿17.35

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 BHD 2.15

$4.65 ฿155

22.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 BHD 5.03

$17.78 ฿595

-24.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 BHD 0.63

$1.79 ฿59.8

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 BHD 0.66

$3.34 ฿112

-47.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 BHD 1.02

$1.41 ฿47.17

91.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 BHD 1.02

$1.34 ฿44.82

101.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.03 BHD 10.19

$8.11 ฿271

233.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BHD 0.13

$1.23 ฿41.27

-70.73%

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

$37.6K BHD 14.2K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

75.54%

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

$20.6K BHD 7,752

$21.8K ฿730.0K

-5.78%

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

$89.1 BHD 33.57

$71.3 ฿2,386

24.84%

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

$27.18 BHD 10.25

$14.01 ฿469

94.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.00 BHD 10.18

$17.93 ฿600

50.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 BHD 2.95

$5.72 ฿191

36.54%

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

$382 BHD 144

$308 ฿10.3K

23.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,768 BHD 3,305

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-40.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.77 BHD 17.63

$55.8 ฿1,865

-16.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 BHD 24.06

$26.04 ฿871

145.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 BHD 31.42

$84.8 ฿2,837

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 BHD 32.92

$71.0 ฿2,375

23.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

71.20%

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

Last update for Budaiya: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Budaiya vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $244, with Budaiya 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

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

Budaiya wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Budaiya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,035 in Budaiya and $1,279 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $690 per month in Budaiya versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Budaiya gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Budaiya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $690 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Budaiya hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Budaiya 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 Budaiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.