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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $512 in Borujerd.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $824 in Borujerd.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,137 in Borujerd.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 86% more expensive than in Borujerd, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Borujerd 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.20 $3.20

-34.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$16.62 $16.62

19.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$4.05 $4.05

42.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 $0.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.13 $1.13

61.95%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.49 $0.49

59.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.02 $1.02

-69.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.68 $0.68

198.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.48 $0.48

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.10 $2.10

-32.38%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.18 $1.18

84.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$3.58 $3.58

344.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.09 $3.09

-0.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$9.89 $9.89

-0.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.03 $1.03

155.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.54 $1.54

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$0.82 $0.82

98.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.60 $0.60

155.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.51 $0.51

143.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.52 $0.52

117.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.58 $0.58

27.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.22 $0.22

127.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.29 $2.29

86.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.17 $0.17

452.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$7.39 $7.39

648.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.43 $0.43

186.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.29 $0.29

82.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$2.33 $2.33

3.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.08 $0.08

1700.00%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$49.2K $49.2K

-56.96%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$44.1K $44.1K

-38.09%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$13.45 $13.45

382.75%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$1.57 $1.57

750.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$3.72 $3.72

459.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$17.63 $17.63

129.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$13.83 $13.83

-71.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$1.99 $1.99

237.19%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$106 $106

643.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$1,584 $1,584

854.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$21.55 $21.55

160.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$28.05 $28.05

-11.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$101 $101

-8.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$69.3 $69.3

8.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$290 $290

66.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$205 $205

40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$660 $660

37.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$337 $337

57.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,150 $1,150

72.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$573 $573

153.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

23.21

-76.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Borujerd: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $290 in Borujerd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $17.00 in Borujerd for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $109 per month, with Borujerd 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

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

Borujerd wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Borujerd the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,426 in Chiang Mai and $768 in Borujerd to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $290 in Borujerd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $950 per month in Chiang Mai versus $512 in Borujerd – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Borujerd runs roughly 648% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $512 in Borujerd versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Borujerd but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Borujerd the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Borujerd delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $512 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Borujerd hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Borujerd 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 Borujerd gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.