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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,523 in Busan versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,376 in Busan versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,228 in Busan versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Busan is roughly 76% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Busan is 14% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ₩10.7K

$1.94 ฿63.5

264.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.26 ₩56.5K

$18.64 ฿609

99.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ₩9,288

$7.82 ฿255

-21.61%

Cappuccino

$4.15 ₩6,295

$1.95 ฿63.8

112.82%

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

$1.86 ₩2,816

$0.85 ฿27.77

118.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₩2,094

$0.35 ฿11.58

294.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 ₩5,624

$2.13 ฿69.6

74.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,726

$3.73 ฿122

54.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₩3,538

$1.71 ฿56.0

36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 ₩5,372

$1.63 ฿53.2

117.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,590

$1.14 ฿37.15

165.79%

Eggs

$2.96 ₩4,491

$1.93 ฿63.1

53.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 ₩15.7K

$16.21 ฿530

-35.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 ₩12.8K

$3.12 ฿102

171.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.30 ₩41.4K

$10.90 ฿356

150.46%

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 ₩12.9K

$2.75 ฿90.0

209.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,924

$1.21 ฿39.52

168.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 ₩11.4K

$1.62 ฿53.0

364.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 ₩8,062

$1.59 ฿51.8

234.59%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,838

$1.40 ฿45.70

269.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,461

$1.17 ฿38.17

151.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩3,030

$0.66 ฿21.60

203.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,812

$0.53 ฿17.22

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,969

$4.69 ฿153

-30.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.73 ₩25.4K

$18.66 ฿609

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₩2,633

$1.80 ฿58.8

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₩5,249

$3.23 ฿106

7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,683

$0.90 ฿29.26

23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 ₩67.9K

$19.21 ฿628

133.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₩5,301

$1.41 ฿45.91

148.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,194

$1.29 ฿42.12

-38.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.82 ₩25.5K

$7.84 ฿256

114.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₩1,856

$1.27 ฿41.58

-3.15%

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

$27.4K ₩41.6M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

28.95%

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

$25.0K ₩37.8M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

12.43%

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

$190 ₩288.4K

$69.1 ฿2,256

175.58%

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

$49.90 ₩75.6K

$14.08 ฿460

254.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩41.2K

$18.00 ฿588

51.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 ₩78.8K

$41.06 ฿1,341

26.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 ₩20.1K

$6.96 ฿227

90.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 ₩17.1K

$5.92 ฿193

91.05%

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

$497 ₩753.7K

$299 ฿9,766

66.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.5M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-5.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩158.4K

$54.7 ฿1,787

91.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 ₩98.3K

$26.77 ฿874

142.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 ₩133.7K

$85.0 ฿2,776

3.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩178.6K

$70.6 ฿2,306

66.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₩756.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ₩485.1K

$237 ฿7,752

34.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ₩1.5M

$801 ฿26.2K

25.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 ₩989.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

26.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,780 ₩14.8M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

395.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,054 ₩10.7M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

378.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,407 ₩3.6M

$617 ฿20.2K

289.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

-15.60%

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

Last update for Busan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Busan and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 290% 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: $37.00 in Busan vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $246 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Busan pays 290% more on average, 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: $500 in Busan 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 Chiang Mai runs roughly 133% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $497 in Busan versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,523 in Busan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Busan 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 76% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.