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 $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,604 in Budaors, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,347 in Budaors, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,091 in Budaors, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 43% cheaper than Budaors, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 33% below the global median, while Budaors is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$12.49 Ft 3,894

-83.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$58.7 Ft 18.3K

-66.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$9.67 Ft 3,016

-39.50%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.61 Ft 813

-32.57%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.94 Ft 605

-61.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$1.96 Ft 611

-83.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.74 Ft 853

-9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$3.14 Ft 978

23.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.28 Ft 400

48.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.72 Ft 535

-2.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$2.58 Ft 806

-47.67%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$4.01 Ft 1,249

-46.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$12.27 Ft 3,827

29.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$6.92 Ft 2,158

-59.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$16.72 Ft 5,214

-37.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$2.09 Ft 652

13.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$2.18 Ft 679

-50.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$2.70 Ft 843

-43.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$3.71 Ft 1,156

-59.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.18 Ft 368

8.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.40 Ft 437

-21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$1.74 Ft 542

-60.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.59 Ft 185

-16.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$8.32 Ft 2,594

-48.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$4.70 Ft 1,465

257.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.30 Ft 404

27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.28 Ft 712

23.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$1.25 Ft 389

-28.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

$27.84 Ft 8,679

97.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$3.56 Ft 1,111

-66.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$1.40 Ft 436

-61.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$20.84 Ft 6,497

-88.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.94 Ft 605

-26.29%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$31.3K Ft 9.8M

-32.66%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$36.5K Ft 11.4M

-25.68%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$176 Ft 54.9K

-63.23%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$25.98 Ft 8,101

-49.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$21.42 Ft 6,680

-9.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$78.3 Ft 24.4K

-49.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

$11.41 Ft 3,558

-66.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$9.60 Ft 2,992

-31.04%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$541 Ft 168.8K

48.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$8,084 Ft 2.5M

87.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$102 Ft 32.0K

-46.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$45.04 Ft 14.0K

-43.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$100 Ft 31.2K

-8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$118 Ft 36.6K

-36.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$581 Ft 181.0K

-19.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$588 Ft 183.3K

-52.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$902 Ft 281.2K

-1.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$891 Ft 277.9K

-41.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$4,126 Ft 1.3M

-51.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$3,939 Ft 1.2M

-62.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$1,658 Ft 516.8K

-64.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.67

-27.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Budaors: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $581 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 180% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $59.0 in Budaors. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $272 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $920 in Chiang Mai, $1,604 in Budaors – roughly 74% apart. Budaors costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,406 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.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Budaors, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $59.0 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 $920, than in Budaors at $1,604. 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 $920 in Chiang Mai to $1,604 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.