Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Buff Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Buff Bay

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 14.4% cheaper than Buff Bay without rent, and 2.3% more expensive with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 29.9% cheaper than Buff Bay without rent, and 5% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Buff Bay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$7.4 JMD 1,178
-72.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$63.5 JMD 10.1K
-70.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$4.88 JMD 777
57.17%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$4.41 JMD 702
-55.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.72 JMD 114
13.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.61 JMD 97.6
-45.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$1.85 JMD 295
14.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$3.12 JMD 496
19.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Buff Bay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$4.35 JMD 692
-62.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$3.64 JMD 580
-56.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$1.61 JMD 257
-26.09%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$3.54 JMD 564
-44.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$10.98 JMD 1,748
45.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$6.37 JMD 1,015
-51.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$7.82 JMD 1,245
42.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$6.18 JMD 983
-55.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$3.04 JMD 484
-59.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$4.14 JMD 658
-58.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$2.96 JMD 471
-47.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$2.1 JMD 334
-36.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$1.94 JMD 309
-37.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$3.1 JMD 494
-76.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$1.43 JMD 227
-62.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$8.79 JMD 1,400
-46.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$11 JMD 1,751
67.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$2.91 JMD 463
-38.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$3.06 JMD 487
4.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Buff Bay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.12 JMD 179
26.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$3.16 JMD 502
-57.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$6.17 JMD 982
27.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.27 JMD 203
-1.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$42.2K JMD 6.7M
-49.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$34.2K JMD 5.4M
-36.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Buff Bay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$166 JMD 26.5K
-57.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$22.04 JMD 3,509
-37.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$50.2 JMD 7,996
-65.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Buff Bay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$13.37 JMD 2,128
-56.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Buff Bay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$228 JMD 36.3K
35.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$2,438 JMD 388.1K
503.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Buff Bay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$25.61 JMD 4,077
116.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$25.63 JMD 4,081
3.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$71.6 JMD 11.4K
18.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$75.3 JMD 12K
-4.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Buff Bay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Buff Bay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
9.15
-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Buff Bay: October 29, 2025

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