😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $342 in Budaun.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $535 in Budaun.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $728 in Budaun.
😐Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 149% more expensive than Budaun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai36% lower, Budaun74% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Budaun
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$2.05₹195
-4.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$11.62₹1,103
61.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$2.94₹280
169.39%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$0.56₹53.3
241.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$0.27₹25.29
211.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$0.14₹12.95
150.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$1.52₹145
45.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$1.72₹164
120.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Budaun
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$0.73₹69.4
124.66%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$0.37₹34.71
337.84%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$0.59₹56.1
100.00%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$0.67₹63.5
200.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$4.19₹398
279.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$2.28₹217
32.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$1.15₹109
126.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$0.49₹46.31
148.98%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$0.60₹56.6
183.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$0.45₹42.63
251.11%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$0.26₹24.73
407.69%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$0.34₹32.16
244.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$0.13₹12.63
415.38%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$0.32₹30.16
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$2.53₹241
79.05%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$2.70₹257
574.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$1.39₹132
31.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$2.38₹226
35.71%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$3.56₹338
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Budaun
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$0.30₹28.74
196.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
$8.53₹810
127.20%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$0.60₹56.8
125.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$0.10₹9.89
1250.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$1.14₹108
623.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$1.17₹111
8.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$5,820₹552.5K
263.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$16.9K₹1.6M
33.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Budaun
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$50.2₹4,763
39.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$3.27₹311
321.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$5.42₹515
224.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Budaun
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$16.21₹1,539
156.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
$7.22₹685
-8.59%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$2.94₹279
96.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Budaun
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$35.62₹3,382
759.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$1,552₹147.3K
855.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Budaun
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$23.69₹2,249
129.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$30.95₹2,939
-15.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$39.12₹3,714
116.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$18.31₹1,738
279.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Budaun
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$125₹11.9K
238.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$77.1₹7,323
208.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$272₹25.8K
203.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$182₹17.2K
183.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
$917₹87.0K
123.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
$481₹45.7K
216.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Budaun
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
8.49
-41.11%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Budaun: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $125 in Budaun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $12.00 in Budaun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $76.0 per month, with Budaun cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs Budaun: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Budaun cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Budaun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 149% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,278 in Chiang Mai and $513 in Budaun 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.
What is the rent difference between Chiang Mai and Budaun?
Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $125 in Budaun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Budaun runs roughly 127% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $35.62 in Budaun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 enough for either Chiang Mai or Budaun?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Budaun gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Chiang Mai or Budaun more family-friendly?
For families, Budaun is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or Budaun?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Budaun are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Budaun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado