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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,128 per month in Buzias vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Buzias vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,378 per month in Buzias vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Buzias costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Buzias and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Buzias 16% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.34 RON 52.0

$1.96 ฿65.9

478.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 265

$18.35 ฿617

214.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 RON 37.30

$7.48 ฿252

8.69%

Cappuccino

$3.42 RON 15.67

$2.02 ฿67.8

69.31%

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

$2.32 RON 10.62

$0.85 ฿28.52

172.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RON 9.75

$0.36 ฿11.97

491.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 RON 14.43

$2.14 ฿71.9

47.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 RON 18.05

$3.59 ฿121

9.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 RON 7.79

$1.65 ฿55.5

3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.17

$1.57 ฿52.7

-14.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.61

$1.19 ฿40.05

57.98%

Eggs

$3.22 RON 14.77

$1.94 ฿65.1

65.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 RON 46.43

$16.19 ฿545

-37.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 RON 32.86

$2.99 ฿101

139.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 RON 54.9

$10.94 ฿368

9.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.69

$2.71 ฿91.2

-54.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.89

$1.17 ฿39.27

47.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.45

$1.69 ฿56.8

-4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 RON 10.47

$1.60 ฿54.0

42.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.32

$1.38 ฿46.56

-31.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$1.20 ฿40.47

-21.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.97

$0.67 ฿22.51

61.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$0.56 ฿18.74

55.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 RON 28.82

$4.64 ฿156

35.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 RON 36.67

$17.62 ฿593

-54.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 RON 5.14

$1.86 ฿62.6

-39.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 RON 8.93

$3.30 ฿111

-40.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.21

$0.88 ฿29.70

-20.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.81 RON 90.9

$19.34 ฿651

2.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$1.36 ฿45.92

-31.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$1.34 ฿45.00

-35.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 RON 43.87

$8.21 ฿276

16.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.74

$1.22 ฿41.20

38.52%

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

$28.1K RON 129.0K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

31.74%

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

$26.9K RON 123.4K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

19.41%

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

$159 RON 728

$70.7 ฿2,378

124.49%

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

$8.71 RON 39.95

$14.04 ฿472

-37.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.71 RON 44.51

$17.49 ฿589

-44.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.63 RON 191

$42.15 ฿1,418

-1.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 RON 88.3

$6.88 ฿231

179.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 RON 36.52

$5.92 ฿199

34.46%

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

$485 RON 2,224

$309 ฿10.4K

57.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K RON 49.7K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-27.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 RON 322

$55.8 ฿1,876

25.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.70 RON 187

$26.11 ฿879

55.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 RON 385

$83.0 ฿2,793

1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 RON 452

$70.5 ฿2,371

40.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,774

$432 ฿14.5K

-10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,315

$239 ฿8,040

20.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 RON 2,706

$822 ฿27.7K

-28.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 RON 1,970

$512 ฿17.2K

-16.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,727 RON 7,919

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-9.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 RON 5,618

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-16.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

17.00%

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

Last update for Buzias: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Buzias versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Buzias versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Buzias vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Buzias wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Buzias is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,692 per month in Buzias and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $485 per month in Buzias and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,128 in Buzias and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Buzias makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.