Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Busia, Uganda and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Busia: $69.4 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Busia

🇺🇬 Uganda

$69.4

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Busia and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Busia and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $69 in Busia versus $936 in Chiang Mai.

Busia $69
Chiang Mai $936

Estimated couple costs with rent: $114 in Busia versus $1,457 in Chiang Mai.

Busia $114
Chiang Mai $1,457

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $159 in Busia versus $1,979 in Chiang Mai.

Busia $159
Chiang Mai $1,979

Living in Busia costs roughly 93% less than in Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Busia 95% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$0.30 UGX 1,332

$1.95 ฿65.8

-84.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 UGX 5,393

$1.44 ฿48.51

-14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

Eggs

$1.43 UGX 6,251

$2.28 ฿77.1

-37.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.56 UGX 15.6K

$9.31 ฿314

-61.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 UGX 10.3K

$2.35 ฿79.5

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 UGX 3,006

$1.50 ฿50.7

-54.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 UGX 6,178

$1.10 ฿37.22

28.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 UGX 1,003

$0.49 ฿16.38

-53.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 UGX 4,875

$4.14 ฿140

-73.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 UGX 21.6K

$17.52 ฿592

-71.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 UGX 4,154

$1.61 ฿54.5

-40.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 UGX 5,156

$2.78 ฿94.0

-57.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Busia: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Busia

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Busia

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Busia

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Busia

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Busia

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Busia

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Busia

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Good to know

🇺🇬 Busia

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

17:25 5:25 PM

21:25 9:25 PM

4 h ahead of Busia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

64,900

127,240

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.28 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.05 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇬 Ugandan Shilling (Sh)

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4,386 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.28 USD). 1 EUR = 4,882 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.05 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to UGX in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Busia Chiang Mai 7,360 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Busia
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Busia wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Busia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $104 in Busia and $1,403 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 238% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $69 per month in Busia versus $936 in Chiang Mai – a 1249% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $69 in Busia versus $936 in Chiang Mai, a $800 budget is realistic in Busia but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Busia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.