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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $783 in Brovary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,216 in Brovary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $1,650 in Brovary.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 11% more expensive than Brovary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Brovary 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$7.92 ₴356

-75.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$33.72 ₴1,515

-44.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.08 ₴273

27.47%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.52 ₴68.4

26.32%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.67 ₴30.22

17.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.43 ₴19.17

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.97 ₴43.45

127.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.65 ₴73.9

121.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.29 ₴58.0

27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.75 ₴33.59

117.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.44 ₴64.8

-17.36%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.55 ₴69.8

29.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.65 ₴433

65.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.98 ₴179

-23.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.66 ₴344

41.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.88 ₴39.75

213.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.48 ₴66.5

-20.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.83 ₴82.1

-10.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.23 ₴100

-31.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.68 ₴30.39

102.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.56 ₴25.12

112.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.42 ₴63.8

-50.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.52 ₴23.44

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.62 ₴118

74.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.74 ₴258

188.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.84 ₴37.75

117.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.36 ₴61.2

135.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.38 ₴16.95

131.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$3.66 ₴164

411.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.02 ₴90.8

-32.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.13 ₴5.74

930.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.94 ₴132

166.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.40 ₴62.7

-12.14%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$31.1K ₴1.4M

-30.40%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$25.0K ₴1.1M

-9.82%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$60.0 ₴2,697

17.49%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$5.36 ₴241

155.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$7.21 ₴324

142.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$63.1 ₴2,833

-34.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$9.80 ₴440

-28.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.97 ₴223

16.10%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$288 ₴12.9K

6.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,846 ₴352.5K

86.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$41.21 ₴1,852

35.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$24.56 ₴1,103

6.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$85.3 ₴3,834

0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$85.4 ₴3,838

-15.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$338 ₴15.2K

27.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$244 ₴11.0K

-2.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$491 ₴22.1K

66.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$390 ₴17.5K

31.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$509 ₴22.9K

21.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Brovary: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $338 in Brovary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $34.00 in Brovary. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $169, with Brovary cheaper for home cooking.

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 Brovary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Brovary differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $783 including rent). Brovary is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chiang Mai pays 22% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $338 in Brovary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Brovary runs roughly 411% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Chiang Mai versus $288 in Brovary. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Brovary gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Brovary 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 Brovary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.