Chiang Mai vs Busan Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Busan (South Korea) · Overall index 42.6
Summary
- Overall, Busan is 64% more expensive than Chiang Mai.
- Transport in Busan is 79% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Busan is 77% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Busan | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +77% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $743 | +56% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $516 | +59% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $1,639 | +104% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $1,043 | +92% |
| Groceries | +60% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.77 | +45% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $2.3 | +60% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $3.29 | +96% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $2.72 | +53% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $7.77 | +62% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $6.81 | +41% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $10.1 | +50% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $3.45 | +61% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $1.33 | +68% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $2.49 | +37% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $3.58 | +62% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $1.57 | +47% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $1.73 | +84% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $1.71 | +84% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $1.5 | +72% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $8.62 | +52% |
| Transport | +79% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $1.47 | +107% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $65.4 | +71% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $2.13 | +92% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $0.96 | +71% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.47 | +62% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $14,925 | +75% |
| Dining out | +63% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $12.1 | +73% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $67.7 | +69% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $6.88 | +78% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $2.62 | +62% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $1.54 | +71% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $3.55 | +47% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $3.95 | +50% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $1.01 | +58% |
| Telecom | +55% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $40.7 | +63% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $40.7 | +53% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.19 | +27% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $10.7 | +75% |
| Utilities & household | +57% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $112 | +66% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.12 | +50% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $2.76 | +75% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $0.93 | +66% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $12.8 | +59% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $46.6 | +43% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $9.04 | +41% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $17.8 | +68% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $13.6 | +41% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $1,353 | +67% |
3,218 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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