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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Burrel vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,708 per month in Burrel vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,304 per month in Burrel vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Burrel costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Burrel and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Burrel 19% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.93 ALL 784

$2.10 ฿69.4

372.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 ALL 3,068

$19.84 ฿656

95.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ALL 586

$5.79 ฿192

28.15%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ALL 155

$1.83 ฿60.5

7.10%

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

$1.91 ALL 151

$0.78 ฿25.63

144.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ALL 52.8

$0.31 ฿10.38

116.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ALL 198

$2.34 ฿77.3

7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ALL 274

$3.70 ฿122

-6.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ALL 158

$2.03 ฿67.1

-1.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ALL 79.9

$1.60 ฿52.8

-36.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ALL 163

$1.42 ฿46.80

45.07%

Eggs

$2.69 ALL 213

$2.18 ฿72.0

23.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ALL 834

$15.91 ฿526

-33.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 ALL 707

$3.07 ฿102

191.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 ALL 1,121

$9.87 ฿326

43.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ALL 164

$2.63 ฿86.9

-21.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ALL 180

$1.10 ฿36.23

107.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ALL 137

$1.63 ฿53.9

6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ALL 131

$1.53 ฿50.6

8.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 ALL 88.1

$1.24 ฿41.16

-10.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 104

$1.13 ฿37.40

15.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ALL 92.9

$0.74 ฿24.41

59.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ALL 63.7

$0.50 ฿16.50

62.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ALL 339

$4.28 ฿142

0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 ALL 796

$17.97 ฿594

-43.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ALL 139

$1.70 ฿56.2

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ALL 152

$2.90 ฿95.8

-33.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ALL 40.78

$0.94 ฿31.15

-44.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.89 ALL 1,571

$55.3 ฿1,828

-64.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 ALL 289

$1.23 ฿40.80

197.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.94 ALL 311

$0.53 ฿17.67

643.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.19 ALL 1,516

$2.40 ฿79.4

699.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 ALL 173

$1.44 ฿47.60

52.08%

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

$35.4K ALL 2.8M

$21.2K ฿700.9K

66.85%

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

$25.1K ALL 2.0M

$27.3K ฿903.0K

-8.18%

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

$64.0 ALL 5,053

$64.9 ฿2,147

-1.46%

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

$16.72 ALL 1,321

$13.35 ฿442

25.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.70 ALL 1,003

$20.83 ฿689

-39.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 ALL 4,641

$40.42 ฿1,337

45.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 ALL 674

$6.71 ฿222

27.12%

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

$99.7 ALL 7,874

$787 ฿26.0K

-87.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.67 ALL 3,923

$56.2 ฿1,859

-11.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 ALL 4,484

$24.95 ฿825

127.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ALL 7,914

$92.7 ฿3,066

8.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 ALL 12.1K

$75.1 ฿2,484

104.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ALL 39.4K

$484 ฿16.0K

3.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ALL 26.5K

$287 ฿9,500

16.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 ALL 57.2K

$910 ฿30.1K

-20.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ALL 37.4K

$531 ฿17.5K

-10.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 ALL 150.1K

$1,980 ฿65.5K

-4.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,276 ALL 100.8K

$1,451 ฿48.0K

-12.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-10.23%

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

Last update for Burrel: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $498 in Burrel versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Burrel versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Burrel costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,666 per month in Burrel and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $99.7 per month in Burrel and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Burrel, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Burrel at $1,111. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burrel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,111 in Burrel. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burrel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.