🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,754 in Burlington, IA.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $2,671 in Burlington, IA.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $3,589 in Burlington, IA.
🙂Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 51% less than in Burlington, IA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Burlington, IA is 31% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Burlington, IA
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$11.56$11.56
-83.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$60.6$60.6
-68.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$8.96$8.96
-11.61%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$5.50$5.50
-65.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$2.01$2.01
-58.21%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$1.94$1.94
-81.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$3.44$3.44
-35.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$4.40$4.40
-13.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Burlington, IA
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$0.82$0.82
100.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$2.59$2.59
-37.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$7.83$7.83
-84.93%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$2.92$2.92
-31.16%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$14.60$14.60
8.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$13.22$13.22
-77.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$15.10$15.10
-28.68%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$4.94$4.94
-47.17%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$1.97$1.97
-38.07%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$4.68$4.68
-63.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$5.09$5.09
-68.96%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$2.97$2.97
-55.56%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$2.46$2.46
-52.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$1.81$1.81
-62.98%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$2.38$2.38
-76.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$9.10$9.10
-50.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$12.14$12.14
49.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$1.70$1.70
7.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$3.98$3.98
-18.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Burlington, IA
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$1.58$1.58
-43.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
$20.78$20.78
-6.74%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$3.59$3.59
-62.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$1.58$1.58
-14.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$28.74$28.74
-71.29%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$0.88$0.88
44.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$22.9K$22.9K
-7.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$23.6K$23.6K
-4.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Burlington, IA
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$174$174
-59.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$51.3$51.3
-73.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$51.3$51.3
-65.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Burlington, IA
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$50.0$50.0
-16.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$11.17$11.17
-48.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Burlington, IA
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$708$708
-56.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$23.8K$23.8K
-37.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Burlington, IA
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$44.26$44.26
22.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$31.22$31.22
-16.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$65.7$65.7
28.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$37.46$37.46
85.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Burlington, IA
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$631$631
-32.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$679$679
-64.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$1,048$1,048
-21.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$1,181$1,181
-56.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
$1,056$1,056
94.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
$1,059$1,059
43.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Burlington, IA
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
$4,402$4,402
-85.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
6.52
-23.31%
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 Burlington, IA: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $631 in Burlington, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Burlington, IA pays 593% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $61.0 in Burlington, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $403 per month, with Chiang Mai 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 Burlington, IA: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Burlington, IA?
Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 106% lower than in Burlington, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chiang Mai or Burlington, IA?
On paper, Burlington, IA earns 593% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chiang Mai vs Burlington, IA?
Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $631 in Burlington, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Burlington, IA?
Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $708 in Burlington, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Burlington, IA?
Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Burlington, IA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Burlington, IA?
At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,754 in Burlington, IA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Burlington, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Burlington, IA?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Burlington, IA?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Burlington, IA 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Burlington, IA. 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