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

🙂 Solo nomad: Butare is 46.1% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 47.7% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Butare is 51.8% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 46.8% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Butare
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.71 RWF 2,412
$2.02 ฿65.3
-15.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.59 RWF 29.1K
$18.78 ฿608
9.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.56 RWF 7,855
$7.67 ฿248
-27.51%
Cappuccino
$1.69 RWF 2,391
$1.98 ฿64.2
-14.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 RWF 807
$0.82 ฿26.64
-30.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 RWF 514
$0.33 ฿10.58
9.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.71 RWF 1,006
$2.12 ฿68.6
-66.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 RWF 1,453
$3.73 ฿121
-72.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Butare
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.37 RWF 518
$1.64 ฿53.2
-77.44%
White Bread (500g)
$0.98 RWF 1,382
$1.57 ฿50.9
-37.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.91 RWF 1,281
$1.19 ฿38.62
-23.53%
Eggs
$1.48 RWF 2,086
$1.98 ฿64.1
-25.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.3 RWF 3,241
$15.99 ฿517
-85.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.09 RWF 4,367
$3.12 ฿101
-0.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$2.66 RWF 3,758
$11.16 ฿361
-76.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.24 RWF 3,165
$2.76 ฿89.2
-18.84%
Banana (1kg)
$0.91 RWF 1,278
$1.22 ฿39.5
-25.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.13 RWF 1,596
$1.71 ฿55.4
-33.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.72 RWF 1,023
$1.55 ฿50.2
-53.55%
Potato (1kg)
$0.32 RWF 450
$1.34 ฿43.21
-76.12%
Onion (1kg)
$0.46 RWF 650
$1.21 ฿39.23
-61.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.34 RWF 484
$0.72 ฿23.2
-52.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 RWF 756
$0.53 ฿17.05
1.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.2 RWF 1,699
$4.72 ฿153
-74.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.76 RWF 9,545
$18.39 ฿595
-63.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 RWF 1,281
$1.79 ฿57.9
-49.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 RWF 2,004
$3.21 ฿104
-55.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Butare
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 RWF 414
$0.94 ฿30.44
-69.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.71 RWF 13.7K
$18.9 ฿612
-48.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.05 RWF 2,892
$1.42 ฿46.08
44.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 RWF 1,228
$1.35 ฿43.53
-35.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.91 RWF 5,518
$7.85 ฿254
-50.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.74 RWF 1,044
$1.25 ฿40.4
-40.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.8K RWF 23.6M
$21.2K ฿684.9K
-20.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$8,785 RWF 12.4M
$21.8K ฿706.8K
-59.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Butare
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$36.6 RWF 51.7K
$70.6 ฿2,285
-48.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.97 RWF 12.7K
$13.72 ฿444
-34.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.7 RWF 25K
$17.56 ฿568
0.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Butare
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.29 RWF 35.7K
$41.64 ฿1,347
-39.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.53 RWF 7,811
$6.9 ฿223
-19.86%
Cinema Ticket
$3.54 RWF 5,004
$5.8 ฿188
-38.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Butare
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$92.1 RWF 130K
$308 ฿9,963
-70.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,325 RWF 1.9M
$14.7K ฿475.8K
-90.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Butare
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.82 RWF 19.5K
$55.4 ฿1,793
-75.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.47 RWF 27.5K
$26.4 ฿854
-26.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$23.86 RWF 33.7K
$85.1 ฿2,755
-71.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.72 RWF 43.4K
$71.8 ฿2,323
-57.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Butare
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$208 RWF 293.8K
$434 ฿14K
-52.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$140 RWF 197.8K
$235 ฿7,610
-40.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$313 RWF 441.7K
$821 ฿26.6K
-61.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$238 RWF 335.9K
$498 ฿16.1K
-52.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,180 ฿70.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,543 ฿49.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Butare
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$231 RWF 326.6K
$703 ฿22.8K
-67.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.2
5
224.00%

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

Last update for Butare: October 27, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

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