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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,559 per month in Alcoy vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,326 per month in Alcoy vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,094 per month in Alcoy vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Alcoy costs about 81% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Alcoy sits 17% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.47 €9.14

$1.96 ฿65.7

434.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 €51.5

$18.35 ฿616

221.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.16 €11.50

$7.48 ฿251

75.94%

Cappuccino

$1.90 €1.66

$2.02 ฿67.7

-5.94%

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

$1.75 €1.53

$0.85 ฿28.45

105.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.18

$0.36 ฿11.94

275.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 €2.99

$2.14 ฿71.7

59.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.14

$3.59 ฿121

-31.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.94

$1.65 ฿55.4

-35.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.57 ฿52.6

-8.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 €1.27

$1.19 ฿39.95

22.69%

Eggs

$2.95 €2.58

$1.94 ฿65.0

52.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.45 €11.75

$16.19 ฿544

-16.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 €7.55

$2.99 ฿100

188.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 €13.13

$10.94 ฿367

37.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$2.71 ฿91.0

-8.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.77

$1.17 ฿39.18

73.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.69 ฿56.6

17.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.31

$1.60 ฿53.9

65.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 €1.57

$1.38 ฿46.45

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.20 ฿40.38

60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.17

$0.67 ฿22.46

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.56 ฿18.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 €5.37

$4.64 ฿156

32.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 €4.92

$17.62 ฿591

-68.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.06

$1.86 ฿62.4

-34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.22

$3.30 ฿111

-57.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 €1.44

$0.88 ฿29.63

87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.89 €29.61

$19.34 ฿649

75.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 €3.59

$1.36 ฿45.82

201.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.34 ฿44.90

-5.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.64 €21.52

$8.21 ฿276

200.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.22 ฿41.11

43.44%

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

$39.3K €34.3K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

83.83%

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

$29.8K €26.0K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

32.28%

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

$135 €118

$70.7 ฿2,372

90.55%

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

$20.65 €18.05

$14.04 ฿471

47.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.23 €27.28

$17.49 ฿587

78.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.44 €42.32

$42.15 ฿1,415

14.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.29 €13.35

$6.88 ฿231

122.24%

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 €7.89

$5.92 ฿199

52.53%

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

$407 €355

$309 ฿10.4K

31.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,491 €6,545

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-49.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.8 €73.2

$55.8 ฿1,872

50.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 €31.50

$26.11 ฿877

38.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 €78.8

$83.0 ฿2,787

8.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 €96.1

$70.5 ฿2,365

56.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 €739

$432 ฿14.5K

95.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 €602

$239 ฿8,020

188.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 €1,165

$822 ฿27.6K

62.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 €873

$512 ฿17.2K

95.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,025 €2,643

$1,915 ฿64.3K

58.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,443 €2,135

$1,467 ฿49.3K

66.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,926 €1,683

$579 ฿19.4K

232.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

-30.00%

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

Last update for Alcoy: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $845 in Alcoy versus $432 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 232% 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 $59.0 in Alcoy versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,559 in Alcoy, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 81% apart. Alcoy costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,338 per month in Alcoy and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Alcoy, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Alcoy and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Alcoy at $1,559. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alcoy it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $861 in Chiang Mai to $1,559 in Alcoy. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 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.