Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, VT and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, VT and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,076 in Burlington, VT versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,879 in Burlington, VT versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,683 in Burlington, VT versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Burlington, VT is roughly 230% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Burlington, VT is 125% above, Chiang Mai is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.88 $21.88

$2.08 ฿69.3

951.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$19.61 ฿653

313.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.94 $11.94

$5.67 ฿189

110.58%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$1.81 ฿60.1

179.56%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$0.77 ฿25.58

292.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.35 ฿11.49

577.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$2.21 ฿73.7

252.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.59 $8.59

$3.79 ฿126

126.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.05 ฿68.2

-35.61%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.51 ฿50.4

189.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$1.40 ฿46.57

288.57%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$2.26 ฿75.2

92.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.79 $13.79

$16.19 ฿539

-14.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$2.90 ฿96.4

323.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 $12.97

$9.42 ฿314

37.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.68 ฿89.2

68.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.09 ฿36.28

70.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.62 ฿53.8

32.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$1.46 ฿48.61

345.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.28 ฿42.54

189.06%

Onion (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.06 ฿35.21

284.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 $2.94

$0.72 ฿23.88

308.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.53 ฿17.51

83.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.77 $11.77

$4.23 ฿141

178.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.39 $12.39

$18.29 ฿609

-32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.63 ฿54.3

4.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.90 ฿96.6

-30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.88 ฿29.24

192.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.16 $49.16

$53.8 ฿1,790

-8.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.17 ฿39.04

125.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.58 ฿19.25

203.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.47 $27.47

$2.39 ฿79.4

1049.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.45 ฿48.28

-30.34%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

71.29%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

-4.01%

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

$196 $196

$63.7 ฿2,119

207.60%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$12.89 ฿429

323.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 $61.5

$20.52 ฿683

199.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 $69.2

$39.02 ฿1,299

77.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.50 $28.50

$3.92 ฿130

627.04%

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 $12.24

$6.58 ฿219

86.02%

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

$1,279 $1,279

$784 ฿26.1K

63.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-18.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$55.1 ฿1,835

-3.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.65 $29.65

$24.74 ฿824

19.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.5 $54.5

$94.1 ฿3,133

-42.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 $91.1

$74.0 ฿2,462

23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,903 $1,903

$490 ฿16.3K

288.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$288 ฿9,594

514.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,344 $4,344

$891 ฿29.7K

387.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,600 $3,600

$521 ฿17.3K

590.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 $3,929

$1,974 ฿65.7K

99.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,425 $3,425

$1,444 ฿48.1K

137.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,546 $4,546

$602 ฿20.0K

655.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

5.57

12.75%

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

Last update for Burlington, VT: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,903 in Burlington, VT and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burlington, VT pays 656% 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: $81.0 in Burlington, VT vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $241 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

Burlington, VT vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 230% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 656% higher in Burlington, VT, 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: $1,903 in Burlington, VT versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 9% less than in Burlington, VT. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,279 in Burlington, VT versus $784 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $3,076 in Burlington, VT, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Burlington, VT. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Burlington, VT 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 230% less than in Burlington, VT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.