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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $900 in Buriram, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,486 in Buriram, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,072 in Buriram, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Buriram, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Buriram are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Buriram 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$1.48 ฿49.30

40.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$21.58 ฿718

-9.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.39 ฿279

-32.42%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.33 ฿44.23

36.09%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.44 ฿14.58

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.27 ฿9.06

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.83 ฿60.8

20.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.11 ฿137

-7.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.89 ฿63.0

8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.61 ฿53.6

-6.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.37 ฿45.55

2.19%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.35 ฿78.2

-3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$16.56 ฿551

-2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.58 ฿85.9

12.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$9.68 ฿322

-2.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.71 ฿90.4

-1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.95 ฿31.55

14.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.05 ฿68.4

-20.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.96 ฿65.3

-25.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.54 ฿51.4

-16.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.10 ฿36.58

-3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.06 ฿35.23

-32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.55 ฿18.27

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.29 ฿143

-1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$17.09 ฿569

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.77 ฿59.1

-7.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.05 ฿102

-4.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.10 ฿36.65

6.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.95 ฿31.78

-38.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$5.69 ฿189

-58.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.26 ฿42.07

15.08%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$26.9K ฿897.0K

-22.02%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$28.6K ฿952.4K

-7.63%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$89.2 ฿2,970

-28.66%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$10.98 ฿366

17.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$17.54 ฿584

16.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$45.12 ฿1,502

-13.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$15.22 ฿507

-74.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.85 ฿195

12.48%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$560 ฿18.6K

39.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$10.7K ฿355.1K

37.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$46.73 ฿1,556

17.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$26.23 ฿873

-5.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$82.0 ฿2,730

14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$78.5 ฿2,614

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$451 ฿15.0K

8.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$294 ฿9,772

-1.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$1,248 ฿41.5K

-28.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$709 ฿23.6K

-26.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,776 ฿59.1K

11.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,618 ฿53.9K

-10.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Buriram: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $451 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Buriram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $246 – 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 – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,350 in Buriram. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buriram, 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 $932 in Chiang Mai and $900 in Buriram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $560 in Buriram. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Buriram, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Buriram it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Buriram – 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 Buriram. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.