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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,393 in Budaors, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,037 in Budaors, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,681 in Budaors, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 39% cheaper than Budaors, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Budaors is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$11.65 Ft 3,635

-83.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$51.5 Ft 16.1K

-63.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.48 Ft 2,645

-6.60%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.33 Ft 727

-18.03%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.74 Ft 543

-51.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.35 Ft 420

-74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.40 Ft 747

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.96 Ft 923

28.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.04 Ft 326

57.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.52 Ft 476

6.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.07 Ft 646

-43.00%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.12 Ft 974

-35.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.16 Ft 3,169

56.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.14 Ft 1,916

-50.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$13.39 Ft 4,176

-19.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.83 Ft 572

42.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.98 Ft 618

-38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.16 Ft 674

-21.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.23 Ft 1,008

-51.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.18 Ft 367

11.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.42 Ft 442

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.50 Ft 468

-55.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.57 Ft 179

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.65 Ft 2,074

-31.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$4.84 Ft 1,510

276.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.14 Ft 354

60.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.71 Ft 534

88.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.26 Ft 394

-29.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$13.75 Ft 4,289

40.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$3.24 Ft 1,011

-58.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.20 Ft 374

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$18.93 Ft 5,906

-56.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.84 Ft 575

-30.98%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

-17.42%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$31.3K Ft 9.8M

-28.20%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$146 Ft 45.4K

-51.80%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$26.28 Ft 8,200

-47.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$19.34 Ft 6,033

-9.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$69.6 Ft 21.7K

-40.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$10.40 Ft 3,245

-36.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$8.99 Ft 2,804

-35.71%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$463 Ft 144.6K

-33.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,053 Ft 2.5M

84.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$67.7 Ft 21.1K

-19.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$38.46 Ft 12.0K

-32.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$90.9 Ft 28.3K

-6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$90.9 Ft 28.4K

-23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$530 Ft 165.3K

-20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$527 Ft 164.3K

-54.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$820 Ft 255.9K

0.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$807 Ft 251.9K

-36.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,111 Ft 1.3M

-50.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$3,932 Ft 1.2M

-61.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,720 Ft 536.5K

-63.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

-33.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Budaors: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $530 in Budaors. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 171% higher in Budaors, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Budaors. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $232 in Budaors – so Budaors 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai, $1,393 in Budaors – roughly 63% apart. Budaors costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,090 in Budaors. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Budaors – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $51.0 in Budaors. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Budaors at $1,393. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budaors it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $852 in Chiang Mai to $1,393 in Budaors. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Budaors makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.