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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $894 in Buriram, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,482 in Buriram, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,071 in Buriram, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Buriram, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Buriram are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Buriram 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.04 ฿99.3

-35.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$27.08 ฿886

-30.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.13 ฿266

-2.58%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.24 ฿40.58

54.03%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.45 ฿14.65

86.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.25 ฿8.11

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.81 ฿59.2

22.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$4.22 ฿138

-9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.76 ฿57.4

-6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.36 ฿44.33

19.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.27 ฿41.37

-7.09%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.19 ฿71.6

-8.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$18.49 ฿605

-14.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.08 ฿101

-2.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.01 ฿360

-2.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.14 ฿103

-16.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.22 ฿39.78

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.97 ฿64.5

-13.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.58 ฿51.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.46 ฿47.70

-9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.19 ฿39.06

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.98 ฿31.90

-31.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.51 ฿16.78

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.72 ฿154

-4.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$18.90 ฿618

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.72 ฿56.3

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.66 ฿86.9

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.95 ฿31.04

-6.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.10 ฿35.99

22.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.19 ฿38.81

13.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.03 ฿197

36.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.24 ฿40.39

2.42%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$27.8K ฿908.4K

-23.85%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$27.6K ฿902.9K

-18.56%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$75.7 ฿2,474

-7.28%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$13.95 ฿456

-1.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$18.46 ฿604

-4.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$48.51 ฿1,586

-14.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$12.39 ฿405

-46.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.97 ฿228

-17.07%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$295 ฿9,645

3.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$9,845 ฿321.9K

50.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$33.23 ฿1,086

63.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$34.49 ฿1,128

-24.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$99.4 ฿3,249

-14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$70.3 ฿2,298

-1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$420 ฿13.7K

0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$282 ฿9,211

-15.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$817 ฿26.7K

0.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$662 ฿21.6K

-22.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,233 ฿73.0K

-8.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,649 ฿53.9K

-7.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

-8.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Buriram: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $420 in Buriram. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Buriram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $256 – 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 Buriram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Buriram is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,340 in Buriram. 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $894 in Buriram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $295 in Buriram. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $894 in Buriram, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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