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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $342 in Budaun versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $543 in Budaun versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $744 in Budaun versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Budaun costs roughly 60% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Budaun 74% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ₹199

$1.94 ฿63.6

7.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.70 ₹1,119

$18.64 ฿609

-37.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.95 ₹282

$7.82 ฿256

-62.28%

Cappuccino

$0.60 ₹57.7

$1.95 ฿63.9

-69.23%

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

$0.29 ₹27.81

$0.85 ฿27.80

-65.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.79

$0.35 ฿11.60

-62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₹146

$2.13 ฿69.7

-28.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₹162

$3.73 ฿122

-54.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 ₹64.6

$1.71 ฿56.0

-60.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 ₹31.94

$1.63 ฿53.3

-79.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.59 ₹56.6

$1.14 ฿37.18

-48.25%

Eggs

$0.72 ₹69.0

$1.93 ฿63.2

-62.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.23 ₹405

$16.21 ฿530

-73.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.28 ₹218

$3.12 ฿102

-26.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 ₹114

$2.75 ฿90.1

-56.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.93

$1.21 ฿39.56

-60.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.3

$1.62 ฿53.0

-62.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹46.31

$1.59 ฿51.9

-69.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.26 ₹25.08

$1.40 ฿45.75

-81.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 ₹32.02

$1.17 ฿38.20

-71.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.11 ₹10.56

$0.66 ฿21.62

-83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₹30.34

$0.53 ฿17.24

-39.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 ₹250

$4.69 ฿153

-44.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.59 ₹248

$18.66 ฿610

-86.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₹137

$1.80 ฿58.8

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₹219

$3.23 ฿106

-29.10%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.40 ₹326

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₹26.73

$0.90 ฿29.28

-68.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.79 ₹841

$19.21 ฿628

-54.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 ₹53.4

$1.41 ฿45.96

-60.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₹10.48

$1.29 ฿42.16

-91.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹113

$7.84 ฿256

-84.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹113

$1.27 ฿41.62

-7.09%

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

$5,769 ₹552.0K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

-72.89%

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

$16.5K ₹1.6M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-25.82%

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

$50.1 ₹4,795

$69.1 ฿2,258

-27.45%

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

$3.20 ₹306

$14.08 ฿460

-77.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.39 ₹516

$18.00 ฿588

-70.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.21 ₹1,551

$41.06 ฿1,342

-60.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 ₹689

$6.96 ฿227

3.45%

Cinema Ticket

$2.99 ₹286

$5.92 ฿193

-49.49%

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

$35.96 ₹3,441

$299 ฿9,775

-87.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,538 ₹147.1K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-89.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.11 ₹2,212

$54.7 ฿1,788

-57.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.70 ₹2,938

$26.77 ฿875

14.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.93 ₹3,821

$85.0 ฿2,778

-53.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.77 ₹1,796

$70.6 ฿2,308

-73.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 ₹11.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

-71.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 ₹7,183

$237 ฿7,759

-68.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₹26.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

-66.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₹17.3K

$515 ฿16.9K

-65.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,069 ₹102.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-45.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$498 ₹47.7K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-66.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.49

69.80%

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

Last update for Budaun: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Budaun and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Budaun vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $76.0 vs $246 per month, with Budaun 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

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

Budaun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 153% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $514 in Budaun and $1,300 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $122 in Budaun versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Budaun runs roughly 119% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $35.96 in Budaun versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

For families, Budaun 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, Budaun 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 Budaun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 153% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.