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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $366 per month in Byumba vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $605 per month in Byumba vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $845 per month in Byumba vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Byumba is about 58% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Byumba and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Byumba 73% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.20 RWF 6,125

$1.94 ฿63.5

116.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.37 RWF 39.9K

$18.64 ฿609

46.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 RWF 9,898

$7.82 ฿255

-13.30%

Cappuccino

$2.23 RWF 3,259

$1.95 ฿63.8

14.36%

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

$0.80 RWF 1,171

$0.85 ฿27.77

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 RWF 766

$0.35 ฿11.58

51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 RWF 1,476

$2.13 ฿69.6

-52.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 RWF 3,019

$3.73 ฿122

-44.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 RWF 1,024

$1.71 ฿56.0

-59.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 RWF 1,491

$1.63 ฿53.2

-37.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 RWF 1,815

$1.14 ฿37.15

8.77%

Eggs

$1.71 RWF 2,497

$1.93 ฿63.1

-11.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.99 RWF 5,827

$16.21 ฿530

-75.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 RWF 6,441

$3.12 ฿102

41.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.63 RWF 5,299

$10.90 ฿356

-66.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 RWF 3,576

$2.75 ฿90.0

-10.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 RWF 1,383

$1.21 ฿39.52

-21.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 RWF 2,147

$1.62 ฿53.0

-9.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 RWF 1,603

$1.59 ฿51.8

-30.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 RWF 696

$1.40 ฿45.70

-65.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RWF 1,173

$1.17 ฿38.17

-31.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 RWF 735

$0.66 ฿21.60

-24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RWF 1,181

$0.53 ฿17.22

52.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 RWF 2,465

$4.69 ฿153

-63.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.11 RWF 14.8K

$18.66 ฿609

-45.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RWF 1,337

$1.80 ฿58.8

-48.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 RWF 2,610

$3.23 ฿106

-44.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 RWF 4,656

$1.41 ฿45.91

126.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 RWF 2,103

$1.29 ฿42.12

11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 RWF 5,688

$7.84 ฿256

-50.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 RWF 1,671

$1.27 ฿41.58

-9.45%

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

$27.0K RWF 39.4M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

27.04%

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

$30.1K RWF 43.9M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

35.60%

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

$47.28 RWF 69.0K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-31.55%

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

$9.05 RWF 13.2K

$14.08 ฿460

-35.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 RWF 26.3K

$18.00 ฿588

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.50 RWF 5,100

$5.92 ฿193

-40.88%

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

$157 RWF 228.6K

$299 ฿9,766

-47.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,045 RWF 7.4M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-66.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.88 RWF 24.6K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-69.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 RWF 27.8K

$26.77 ฿874

-28.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.77 RWF 36.1K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-70.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.47 RWF 45.9K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-55.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 RWF 498.1K

$428 ฿14.0K

-20.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

224.00%

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

Last update for Byumba: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $341 in Byumba 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 $27.00 in Byumba versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $146 in Byumba vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Byumba 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 137% more than Byumba, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $549 per month in Byumba 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 Byumba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Byumba and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $366 in Byumba and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Byumba costs $366 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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