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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,372 in Budaors, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,040 in Budaors, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,709 in Budaors, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 37% cheaper than Budaors, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Budaors is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$11.72 Ft 3,547

-83.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$52.2 Ft 15.8K

-63.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.75 Ft 2,646

-11.43%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.24 Ft 678

-14.29%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.68 Ft 509

-52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.28 Ft 389

-71.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.49 Ft 753

-11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.93 Ft 887

24.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.09 Ft 330

51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.51 Ft 457

7.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.11 Ft 640

-43.60%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.13 Ft 946

-36.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.11 Ft 3,060

58.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.40 Ft 1,936

-52.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$13.25 Ft 4,009

-18.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.84 Ft 556

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.99 Ft 603

-40.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.15 Ft 650

-23.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.22 Ft 975

-52.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.14 Ft 344

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.40 Ft 424

-15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.50 Ft 453

-53.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.56 Ft 171

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.71 Ft 2,030

-31.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$4.91 Ft 1,485

237.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.17 Ft 353

56.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.67 Ft 505

91.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.33 Ft 401

-33.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$13.82 Ft 4,181

35.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.21 Ft 972

-57.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.18 Ft 357

13.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.23 Ft 5,818

-59.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.83 Ft 553

-32.79%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$25.7K Ft 7.8M

-15.84%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$31.7K Ft 9.6M

-28.87%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$144 Ft 43.7K

-51.17%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$26.14 Ft 7,908

-47.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$19.78 Ft 5,985

-11.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$69.8 Ft 21.1K

-40.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$10.66 Ft 3,226

-34.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$8.75 Ft 2,648

-34.06%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$458 Ft 138.6K

-32.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,249 Ft 1.9M

133.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$66.3 Ft 20.0K

-15.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$38.55 Ft 11.7K

-32.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$91.9 Ft 27.8K

-6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$91.4 Ft 27.7K

-20.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$526 Ft 159.0K

-18.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$534 Ft 161.6K

-55.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$809 Ft 244.7K

1.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$821 Ft 248.5K

-37.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$4,222 Ft 1.3M

-53.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$4,059 Ft 1.2M

-63.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,752 Ft 530.1K

-64.68%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Budaors: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $526 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 183% 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 $52.0 in Budaors. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $233 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: $869 in Chiang Mai, $1,372 in Budaors – roughly 58% apart. Budaors costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,058 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 3% 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 $52.0 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 $869, than in Budaors at $1,372. 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 $869 in Chiang Mai to $1,372 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.