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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,047 in Bugojno, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,596 in Bugojno, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,144 in Bugojno, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Bugojno, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Bugojno are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bugojno 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$7.27 BAM 12.43

-73.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$35.14 BAM 60.1

-47.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.95 BAM 15.31

-16.42%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.06 BAM 3.52

-1.94%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$2.07 BAM 3.54

-58.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.34 BAM 2.29

-73.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.63 BAM 4.50

-18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.35 BAM 4.02

52.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.42 BAM 2.43

16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.27 BAM 2.17

23.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$2.15 BAM 3.68

-44.65%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.20 BAM 5.48

-39.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$10.37 BAM 17.74

56.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$8.58 BAM 14.67

-65.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.20 BAM 22.57

-17.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.49 BAM 2.56

81.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.78 BAM 3.05

-34.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.98 BAM 3.39

-14.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.32 BAM 3.97

-31.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.13 BAM 1.93

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.20 BAM 2.06

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.23 BAM 2.10

-45.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.80 BAM 1.37

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.76 BAM 6.42

23.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$4.16 BAM 7.12

323.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.09 BAM 1.87

70.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.27 BAM 2.17

159.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$1.77 BAM 3.02

-50.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$35.06 BAM 60.0

-44.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.92 BAM 1.58

47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.67 BAM 1.14

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$8.99 BAM 15.37

-8.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.51 BAM 2.59

-19.21%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$26.0K BAM 44.5K

-17.96%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$26.2K BAM 44.8K

-13.95%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$195 BAM 334

-63.83%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$18.86 BAM 32.26

-25.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$33.25 BAM 56.9

-47.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$29.34 BAM 50.2

43.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$11.01 BAM 18.83

-37.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.06 BAM 12.07

-16.15%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$255 BAM 437

20.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,429 BAM 5,865

333.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$90.3 BAM 154

-38.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$36.65 BAM 62.7

-28.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$111 BAM 190

-25.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$103 BAM 176

-31.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$260 BAM 445

66.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$168 BAM 287

42.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$362 BAM 619

127.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$313 BAM 535

63.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,502 BAM 4,279

-23.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,796 BAM 3,072

-18.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$606 BAM 1,036

-4.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

31.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bugojno: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $260 in Bugojno. 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 5% higher in Bugojno, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Bugojno. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $236 in Bugojno – so Bugojno 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 Bugojno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bugojno costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,571 in Bugojno. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,047 in Bugojno. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 81% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,047 in Bugojno, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,047 in Bugojno. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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