Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Burrel

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,094 in Burrel, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Burrel
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Burrel Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Burrel

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,094

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Burrel

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Burrel actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,094 in Burrel, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Burrel $1,094

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,677 in Burrel, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Burrel $1,677

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,259 in Burrel, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Burrel $2,259

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Burrel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Burrel are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Burrel 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$9.72 ALL 789

-76.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$38.66 ALL 3,140

-50.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$7.57 ALL 615

-26.68%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.92 ALL 156

-13.02%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$1.85 ALL 151

-65.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.70 ALL 56.5

-55.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.41 ALL 196

-2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.42 ALL 277

7.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.95 ALL 158

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.92 ALL 74.7

56.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$2.09 ALL 170

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.73 ALL 222

-16.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$10.48 ALL 851

56.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$8.78 ALL 713

-68.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$14.46 ALL 1,175

-35.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.97 ALL 160

19.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$2.34 ALL 190

-58.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.62 ALL 132

-1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.66 ALL 134

-9.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$1.09 ALL 88.2

17.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.30 ALL 106

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.20 ALL 97.6

-40.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.79 ALL 64.0

-37.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.29 ALL 348

-3.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$8.26 ALL 671

112.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.76 ALL 143

-8.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.88 ALL 152

47.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.45 ALL 36.61

93.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$20.48 ALL 1,663

164.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$3.76 ALL 306

-69.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$3.93 ALL 319

-86.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$18.44 ALL 1,498

-86.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$2.20 ALL 179

-34.09%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$34.1K ALL 2.8M

-38.19%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

8.40%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$62.5 ALL 5,077

-0.54%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$16.46 ALL 1,336

-26.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$12.42 ALL 1,009

62.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$57.4 ALL 4,661

-34.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$8.56 ALL 696

-24.18%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$97.5 ALL 7,915

655.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$49.02 ALL 3,981

8.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$54.7 ALL 4,442

-54.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$98.3 ALL 7,982

-6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$149 ALL 12.1K

-51.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$480 ALL 39.0K

0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$317 ALL 25.7K

-2.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$714 ALL 58.0K

40.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$464 ALL 37.6K

36.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,983 ALL 161.0K

19.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,289 ALL 104.7K

23.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Burrel: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Burrel

$317 29% 2.6% $8.1

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Burrel

$255 23.3% 8.6% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Burrel

$158 14.4% 45.3% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Burrel

$91 8.4% 3.3% $3.1

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Burrel

$153 14% 96.8% $75

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Burrel

$46 4.2% 25.6% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Burrel

$75 6.8% 48.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $480 in Burrel. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $39 in Burrel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $255 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇱 Burrel

🕒 Local time

12:23 12:23 PM

06:23 6:23 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

10,862

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 ALL = 1.23 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 81.22 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.69 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Burrel 7,730 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Burrel

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Burrel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burrel costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,641 in Burrel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $480 in Burrel. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $97 in Burrel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Burrel, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,094 in Burrel. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,094 in Burrel. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.