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: $3,079 in Burlington, VT versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,226 in Burlington, VT versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Burlington, VT versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Burlington, VT is roughly 261% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Burlington, VT is 131% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$2.04 ฿68.2

911.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$18.71 ฿624

334.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 $11.32

$7.86 ฿262

44.02%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$2.03 ฿67.7

150.25%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$0.80 ฿26.64

217.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.35 ฿11.68

542.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 $7.13

$2.14 ฿71.5

233.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$3.67 ฿122

113.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.73 ฿57.6

-31.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.57 ฿52.4

167.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$1.20 ฿39.99

355.00%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$1.97 ฿65.8

129.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.75 $13.75

$16.23 ฿541

-15.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$3.06 ฿102

255.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 $13.48

$10.80 ฿360

24.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.77 ฿92.3

108.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.17 ฿38.94

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$1.71 ฿57.0

225.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$1.59 ฿53.2

327.04%

Potato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$1.39 ฿46.51

233.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.16 ฿38.56

222.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$0.66 ฿22.05

334.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.52 ฿17.31

88.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$4.65 ฿155

161.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 $12.58

$17.78 ฿593

-29.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.79 ฿59.6

-5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.34 ฿111

-12.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.91 ฿30.27

125.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.91 $49.91

$18.64 ฿622

167.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.41 ฿47.04

82.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.34 ฿44.70

26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.25 $28.25

$8.11 ฿270

248.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.23 ฿41.16

-29.27%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

40.24%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

16.16%

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

$190 $190

$71.3 ฿2,379

166.06%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$14.01 ฿467

309.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 $61.1

$17.93 ฿598

240.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.8 $75.8

$40.82 ฿1,362

85.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$6.88 ฿230

305.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$5.72 ฿191

109.09%

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

$1,267 $1,267

$308 ฿10.3K

310.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K $12.2K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-17.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 $62.3

$55.8 ฿1,860

11.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 $29.83

$26.04 ฿869

14.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 $54.1

$84.8 ฿2,829

-36.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 $90.3

$71.0 ฿2,368

27.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 $1,784

$423 ฿14.1K

321.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$242 ฿8,088

651.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,972 $2,972

$797 ฿26.6K

272.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 $2,374

$507 ฿16.9K

368.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,875 $3,875

$1,918 ฿64.0K

102.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,355 $3,355

$1,464 ฿48.8K

129.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,627 $4,627

$595 ฿19.9K

677.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

28.60%

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

Last update for Burlington, VT: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,784 in Burlington, VT and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burlington, VT pays 678% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $244 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 261% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 678% 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: $1,784 in Burlington, VT versus $423 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 168% less than in Burlington, VT. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,267 in Burlington, VT versus $308 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $3,079 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 261% less than in Burlington, VT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.