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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,682 in Bussum versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,970 in Bussum versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,257 in Bussum versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bussum is roughly 210% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bussum is 100% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.76 €24.76

$1.94 ฿63.6

1382.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €89.5

$18.64 ฿609

457.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.96 €12.02

$7.82 ฿256

78.52%

Cappuccino

$4.46 €3.84

$1.95 ฿63.9

128.72%

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

$4.13 €3.56

$0.85 ฿27.80

385.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 €2.98

$0.35 ฿11.60

891.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 €5.86

$2.13 ฿69.7

219.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 €5.11

$3.73 ฿122

58.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.71 ฿56.0

-16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 €2.17

$1.63 ฿53.3

54.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 €2.62

$1.14 ฿37.18

167.54%

Eggs

$5.27 €4.54

$1.93 ฿63.2

173.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 €12.50

$16.21 ฿530

-10.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.03 €13.81

$3.12 ฿102

413.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 €15.83

$10.90 ฿356

68.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$2.75 ฿90.1

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$1.21 ฿39.56

100.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.62 ฿53.0

17.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 €3.17

$1.59 ฿51.9

131.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.40 ฿45.75

53.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 €1.66

$1.17 ฿38.20

64.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.16

$0.66 ฿21.62

103.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.53 ฿17.24

115.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 €12.28

$4.69 ฿153

204.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 €6.32

$18.66 ฿610

-60.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.80 ฿58.8

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.14

$3.23 ฿106

-23.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 €3.01

$0.90 ฿29.28

288.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.6 €80.6

$19.21 ฿628

387.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 €4.02

$1.41 ฿45.96

230.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.29 ฿42.16

89.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.72 €23.01

$7.84 ฿256

240.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.27 ฿41.62

76.38%

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

$41.2K €35.5K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

93.73%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

74.33%

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

$295 €254

$69.1 ฿2,258

327.44%

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

$28.22 €24.30

$14.08 ฿460

100.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 €50.7

$18.00 ฿588

227.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 €53.3

$41.06 ฿1,342

50.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.12 €19.91

$6.96 ฿227

232.18%

Cinema Ticket

$17.04 €14.68

$5.92 ฿193

187.84%

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

$2,613 €2,250

$299 ฿9,775

773.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,172 €7,037

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-45.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €93.9

$54.7 ฿1,788

99.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 €46.66

$26.77 ฿875

102.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$85.0 ฿2,778

24.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €125

$70.6 ฿2,308

105.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 €1,455

$428 ฿14.0K

294.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 €993

$237 ฿7,759

385.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 €1,948

$801 ฿26.2K

182.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,722 €1,483

$515 ฿16.9K

234.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,303 €5,428

$1,975 ฿64.5K

219.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,612 €5,694

$1,475 ฿48.2K

348.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,787 €4,122

$617 ฿20.2K

675.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

-12.20%

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

Last update for Bussum: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,690 in Bussum and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bussum pays 675% 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: $104 in Bussum vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 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

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

Bussum and Chiang Mai differ by about 210% in total monthly costs ($2,682 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bussum pays 675% 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: $1,690 in Bussum versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,682 per month in Bussum versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 210% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 387% less than in Bussum. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,682 in Bussum, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bussum. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai 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.

Safety-wise, Bussum 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 210% less than in Bussum. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.