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: $2,753 in Bussum versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,953 in Bussum versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,154 in Bussum versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bussum is roughly 220% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bussum is 106% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.11 €25.47

$1.96 ฿65.9

1385.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €90.9

$18.35 ฿617

465.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.69 €11.97

$7.48 ฿252

83.02%

Cappuccino

$4.52 €3.96

$2.02 ฿67.8

123.76%

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

$4.08 €3.57

$0.85 ฿28.52

380.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €3.02

$0.36 ฿11.97

861.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 €6.11

$2.14 ฿71.9

226.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.20

$3.59 ฿121

65.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.23

$1.65 ฿55.5

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 €2.20

$1.57 ฿52.7

60.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 €2.57

$1.19 ฿40.05

147.06%

Eggs

$5.14 €4.50

$1.94 ฿65.1

164.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.14 €12.37

$16.19 ฿545

-12.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.18 €14.15

$2.99 ฿101

441.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 €16.08

$10.94 ฿368

68.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$2.71 ฿91.2

-5.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$1.17 ฿39.27

115.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.69

$1.69 ฿56.8

14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 €3.21

$1.60 ฿54.0

129.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.38 ฿46.56

49.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.62

$1.20 ฿40.47

55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.15

$0.67 ฿22.51

95.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$0.56 ฿18.74

101.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 €12.35

$4.64 ฿156

204.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.95 €6.08

$17.62 ฿593

-60.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.36

$1.86 ฿62.6

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.17

$3.30 ฿111

-24.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.54 €3.10

$0.88 ฿29.70

302.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 €82.2

$19.34 ฿651

385.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 €4.07

$1.36 ฿45.92

242.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 €2.19

$1.34 ฿45.00

87.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.84 €23.49

$8.21 ฿276

226.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.02

$1.22 ฿41.20

89.34%

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

$41.0K €35.9K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

92.23%

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

$38.1K €33.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

69.10%

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

$290 €253

$70.7 ฿2,378

309.91%

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

$28.96 €25.33

$14.04 ฿472

106.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 €51.4

$17.49 ฿589

235.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 €52.4

$42.15 ฿1,418

41.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 €20.65

$6.88 ฿231

243.02%

Cinema Ticket

$16.97 €14.85

$5.92 ฿199

186.66%

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

$2,629 €2,300

$309 ฿10.4K

751.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,112 €7,097

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-45.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €97.4

$55.8 ฿1,876

99.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 €46.05

$26.11 ฿879

101.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €92.7

$83.0 ฿2,793

27.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 €124

$70.5 ฿2,371

101.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 €1,497

$432 ฿14.5K

296.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 €1,038

$239 ฿8,040

396.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,316 €2,027

$822 ฿27.7K

181.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 €1,530

$512 ฿17.2K

241.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,183 €5,410

$1,915 ฿64.4K

222.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,597 €5,771

$1,467 ฿49.4K

349.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,652 €4,070

$579 ฿19.5K

702.88%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,711 in Bussum and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bussum pays 703% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $243 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 220% in total monthly costs ($2,753 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 703% higher in Bussum, 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: $1,711 in Bussum versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,753 per month in Bussum versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 220% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 386% less than in Bussum. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $2,753 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 220% less than in Bussum. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.