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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 44.2% cheaper than Busan without rent, and 40.8% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 45.9% cheaper than Busan without rent, and 41.1% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Busan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$7.2 ₩9,768
-71.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$36.37 ₩49.3K
-48.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$6.2 ₩8,418
23.71%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$4.16 ₩5,643
-52.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$1.81 ₩2,461
-54.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$1.39 ₩1,885
-76.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$3.6 ₩4,879
-41.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$5.77 ₩7,828
-35.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Busan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$2.23 ₩3,027
-26.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$3.56 ₩4,830
-55.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$2.97 ₩4,027
-59.93%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$2.87 ₩3,898
-31.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$10.4 ₩14.1K
53.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$8.29 ₩11.2K
-62.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$28.01 ₩38K
-60.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$8.24 ₩11.2K
-66.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$3.14 ₩4,267
-61.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$7.57 ₩10.3K
-77.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$5.31 ₩7,204
-70.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$5 ₩6,786
-73.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$2.99 ₩4,061
-59.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$2.09 ₩2,837
-65.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$1.17 ₩1,584
-54.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$3.34 ₩4,535
41.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$13.92 ₩18.9K
32.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$1.75 ₩2,377
2.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$3.46 ₩4,695
-7.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Busan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$1.12 ₩1,520
-16.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$43.34 ₩58.8K
-56.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$3.58 ₩4,854
-60.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.85 ₩1,160
58.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$16.71 ₩22.7K
-53.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.22 ₩1,658
2.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$28.2K ₩38.3M
-24.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$24.9K ₩33.7M
-12.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Busan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$189 ₩256K
-62.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$50.5 ₩68.5K
-72.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$27.23 ₩36.9K
-35.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Busan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$52.7 ₩71.4K
-20.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$13.41 ₩18.2K
-48.55%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$11.46 ₩15.6K
-49.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Busan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$485 ₩658.4K
-36.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$14.3K ₩19.4M
3.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Busan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$104 ₩141K
-46.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$65.1 ₩88.3K
-59.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$88.6 ₩120.3K
-3.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$119 ₩161.9K
-39.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Busan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$500 ₩678.1K
-13.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$319 ₩432.3K
-26.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$997 ₩1.4M
-17.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$665 ₩901.8K
-25.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$8,901 ₩12.1M
-75.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$7,158 ₩9.7M
-78.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Busan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$2,514 ₩3.4M
-72.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
4.22
18.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Busan: October 29, 2025

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