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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $366 in Byumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $605 in Byumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $845 in Byumba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 137% more than Byumba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Byumba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Byumba 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.20 RWF 6,125

-53.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.37 RWF 39.9K

-31.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.78 RWF 9,898

15.34%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.23 RWF 3,259

-12.56%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.80 RWF 1,171

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.53 RWF 766

-33.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.01 RWF 1,476

110.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.07 RWF 3,019

80.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.70 RWF 1,024

144.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.02 RWF 1,491

59.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.24 RWF 1,815

-8.06%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.71 RWF 2,497

12.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.99 RWF 5,827

306.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.42 RWF 6,441

-29.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$3.63 RWF 5,299

200.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.45 RWF 3,576

12.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.95 RWF 1,383

27.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.47 RWF 2,147

10.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.10 RWF 1,603

44.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.48 RWF 696

191.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.80 RWF 1,173

46.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.50 RWF 735

32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.81 RWF 1,181

-34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.69 RWF 2,465

177.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.11 RWF 14.8K

84.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.92 RWF 1,337

95.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.79 RWF 2,610

80.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.19 RWF 4,656

-55.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.44 RWF 2,103

-10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.90 RWF 5,688

101.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.15 RWF 1,671

10.43%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.0K RWF 39.4M

-21.29%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$30.1K RWF 43.9M

-26.25%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$47.28 RWF 69.0K

46.09%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.05 RWF 13.2K

55.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$18.00 RWF 26.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.50 RWF 5,100

69.14%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$157 RWF 228.6K

90.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,045 RWF 7.4M

196.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$16.88 RWF 24.6K

224.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$19.06 RWF 27.8K

40.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$24.77 RWF 36.1K

243.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$31.47 RWF 45.9K

124.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$341 RWF 498.1K

25.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

-69.14%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Byumba: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $341 in Byumba. 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 Byumba. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $146 in Byumba – so Byumba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Byumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 137% more than Byumba, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $549 in Byumba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Byumba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Byumba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $366 in Byumba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Byumba costs $366 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Byumba. 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.