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 $1,109 per month in Buzias vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Buzias vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,304 per month in Buzias vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Buzias costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Buzias and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Buzias 17% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.65 RON 52.7

$1.94 ฿63.5

500.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.5 RON 256

$18.64 ฿609

203.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 RON 36.67

$7.82 ฿255

3.71%

Cappuccino

$3.34 RON 15.11

$1.95 ฿63.8

71.28%

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

$2.41 RON 10.87

$0.85 ฿27.77

183.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 RON 9.99

$0.35 ฿11.58

531.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 RON 14.66

$2.13 ฿69.6

52.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$3.73 ฿122

7.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.83

$1.71 ฿56.0

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 RON 6.05

$1.63 ฿53.2

-17.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.23

$1.14 ฿37.15

59.65%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.52

$1.93 ฿63.1

66.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 RON 44.05

$16.21 ฿530

-39.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 RON 31.86

$3.12 ฿102

125.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 RON 53.9

$10.90 ฿356

9.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.37

$2.75 ฿90.0

-56.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.83

$1.21 ฿39.52

42.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.34

$1.62 ฿53.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 RON 10.57

$1.59 ฿51.8

47.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.23

$1.40 ฿45.70

-32.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.36

$1.17 ฿38.17

-17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$0.66 ฿21.60

56.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RON 4.05

$0.53 ฿17.22

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 RON 28.22

$4.69 ฿153

33.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 RON 38.12

$18.66 ฿609

-54.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.21

$1.80 ฿58.8

-36.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.93

$3.23 ฿106

-38.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$0.90 ฿29.26

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.15 RON 91.1

$19.21 ฿628

4.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$1.41 ฿45.91

-29.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 3.93

$1.29 ฿42.12

-32.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.26 RON 41.87

$7.84 ฿256

18.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.76

$1.27 ฿41.58

35.43%

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

$28.2K RON 127.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

32.43%

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

$26.3K RON 118.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

18.27%

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

$157 RON 708

$69.1 ฿2,256

126.80%

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

$8.82 RON 39.88

$14.08 ฿460

-37.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.86 RON 44.57

$18.00 ฿588

-45.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.49 RON 188

$41.06 ฿1,341

1.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 RON 85.2

$6.96 ฿227

170.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 RON 35.59

$5.92 ฿193

32.94%

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

$476 RON 2,151

$299 ฿9,766

59.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K RON 48.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-28.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 317

$54.7 ฿1,787

28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.34 RON 182

$26.77 ฿874

50.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 RON 388

$85.0 ฿2,776

1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 RON 443

$70.6 ฿2,306

38.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,747

$428 ฿14.0K

-9.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,332

$237 ฿7,752

24.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 RON 2,656

$801 ฿26.2K

-26.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,954

$515 ฿16.8K

-16.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,909 RON 8,628

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-3.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,539 RON 6,955

$1,475 ฿48.2K

4.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Buzias versus $428 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 $57.0 in Buzias versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Buzias vs $246 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 28%, 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 $1,663 per month in Buzias and $1,300 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 5% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Buzias and $299 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 $1,109 in Buzias and $866 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.