Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alcoy and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,558 in Alcoy, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Alcoy
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,558
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,558 per month in Alcoy vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Alcoy $1,558
  • Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $2,293 per month in Alcoy vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Alcoy $2,293
  • Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $3,028 per month in Alcoy vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Alcoy $3,028
  • Chiang Mai $1,914

Alcoy costs about 66% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Alcoy sits 15% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alcoy
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.08 €8.96
$2.26 ฿75.4
346.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.3 €50.1
$19.18 ฿641
193.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.03 €11.59
$5.59 ฿187
133.09%
Cappuccino
$1.83 €1.63
$1.72 ฿57.6
6.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 €1.51
$0.64 ฿21.54
164.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 €1.12
$0.33 ฿11.18
281.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.34 €2.97
$2.36 ฿78.7
41.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 €2.16
$3.90 ฿130
-37.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alcoy
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.03 €0.92
$2.05 ฿68.6
-49.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.40 ฿46.70
6.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.28 ฿42.89
6.25%
Eggs
$3.37 €3.00
$2.25 ฿75.3
49.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.46 €11.97
$16.94 ฿566
-20.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 €7.42
$2.74 ฿91.6
204.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.73 €13.99
$9.36 ฿313
68.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 €2.32
$2.40 ฿80.3
8.75%
Banana (1kg)
$2.08 €1.85
$1.01 ฿33.92
105.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 €1.64
$1.61 ฿53.9
14.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.29
$1.52 ฿50.7
69.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.28 ฿42.90
44.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.11 ฿37.22
82.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 €1.18
$0.72 ฿24.09
84.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$0.52 ฿17.54
9.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.24 €5.55
$4.33 ฿145
44.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €5.11
$17.73 ฿593
-67.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 €1.09
$1.63 ฿54.4
-24.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$2.85 ฿95.3
-51.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Alcoy
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.65 €1.47
$0.85 ฿28.31
94.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.06 €29.41
$53.9 ฿1,801
-38.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.11 €3.65
$1.17 ฿39.18
251.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 €1.27
$0.57 ฿19.00
150.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.58 €20.08
$2.37 ฿79.2
852.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.60
$1.45 ฿48.32
24.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K €31.4K
$20.5K ฿684.3K
72.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4K €26.2K
$26.5K ฿886.1K
11.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alcoy
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 €130
$62.3 ฿2,083
133.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.03 €16.04
$12.27 ฿410
46.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72 €26.44
$19.97 ฿668
48.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alcoy
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.74 €39.79
$37.91 ฿1,267
18.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.66 €13.92
$3.76 ฿126
316.49%
Cinema Ticket
$8.99 €8.00
$6.71 ฿224
33.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alcoy
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$473 €421
$797 ฿26.6K
-40.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,402 €7,473
$14.8K ฿495.7K
-43.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alcoy
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.5 €75.1
$53.3 ฿1,780
58.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.40 €32.37
$25.05 ฿837
45.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.1 €81.0
$91.6 ฿3,062
-0.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 €97.8
$73.5 ฿2,455
49.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alcoy
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$903 €804
$464 ฿15.5K
94.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$670 €596
$305 ฿10.2K
119.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,332 €1,185
$915 ฿30.6K
45.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$998 €887
$552 ฿18.5K
80.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,340 €2,970
$1,912 ฿63.9K
74.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,198 €1,954
$1,438 ฿48.1K
52.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alcoy
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,883 €1,675
$595 ฿19.9K
216.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.3
5.57
-40.75%

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

Last update for Alcoy: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Alcoy
$670
Chiang Mai
$305 54.5% $365
Groceries & Markets
Alcoy
$261
Chiang Mai
$238 8.9% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alcoy
$193
Chiang Mai
$95 51.1% $99
Eating Out
Alcoy
$175
Chiang Mai
$79 54.9% $96
Clothing & Footwear
Alcoy
$145
Chiang Mai
$110 24.4% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Alcoy
$63
Chiang Mai
$51 18.2% $11
Getting Around
Alcoy
$51
Chiang Mai
$61 20.4% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Alcoy versus $464 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 216% higher in Alcoy, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Alcoy versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $238 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Alcoy
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
19:27 7:27 PM
00:27 12:27 AM
5 h ahead of Alcoy
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
59,493
127,240
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Alcoy Chiang Mai 9,500 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Alcoy
  • Chiang Mai

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
Alcoy vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Alcoy and in Chiang Mai compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,558 in Alcoy, $938 in Chiang Mai – roughly 66% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Alcoy compared to Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,338 per month in Alcoy and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Alcoy and Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Alcoy, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Alcoy and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Alcoy at $1,558. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alcoy it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Alcoy and Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $938 in Chiang Mai to $1,558 in Alcoy. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Alcoy or Chiang Mai safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Alcoy and Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alcoy makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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