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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,610 per month in Aranjuez vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,342 per month in Aranjuez vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,075 per month in Aranjuez vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Aranjuez costs about 85% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Aranjuez sits 20% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.77 €12.73

$1.98 ฿64.3

645.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 €49.24

$18.80 ฿612

203.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 €11.04

$7.75 ฿252

65.29%

Cappuccino

$2.58 €2.22

$1.92 ฿62.5

34.38%

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

$2.47 €2.13

$0.79 ฿25.79

212.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.36 ฿11.62

466.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.06

$2.21 ฿72.1

61.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.01

$3.66 ฿119

-4.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.65 ฿53.8

-31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 €1.16

$1.63 ฿53.2

-17.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.19 ฿38.86

39.50%

Eggs

$2.94 €2.53

$2.00 ฿65.1

47.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 €9.93

$15.98 ฿520

-27.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.50 €7.33

$3.03 ฿98.5

180.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 €12.19

$10.86 ฿354

30.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.76 ฿90.0

-6.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.18 ฿38.42

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.64 ฿53.5

20.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.03

$1.52 ฿49.51

54.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.38 ฿45.10

36.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.19 ฿38.84

68.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.41

$0.70 ฿22.86

134.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.64

$0.56 ฿18.13

33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.80 €5.86

$4.58 ฿149

48.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 €5.03

$16.56 ฿539

-64.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.83 ฿59.5

-15.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$3.20 ฿104

-37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 €1.43

$0.88 ฿28.56

89.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.97 €29.27

$18.72 ฿610

81.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 €2.96

$1.36 ฿44.16

152.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 €0.96

$1.34 ฿43.65

-17.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.70 €21.28

$7.84 ฿256

215.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.23 ฿39.92

43.09%

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

$28.5K €24.5K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

31.67%

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

$27.2K €23.4K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

20.51%

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

$143 €123

$70.5 ฿2,298

102.71%

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

$13.58 €11.70

$13.68 ฿445

-0.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.03 €25.88

$17.45 ฿568

72.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.96 €40.46

$41.33 ฿1,346

13.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.10 €13.01

$6.96 ฿227

116.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.67 €8.33

$5.77 ฿188

67.59%

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

$607 €523

$307 ฿10.0K

97.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.3K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-18.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.4 €65.8

$55.8 ฿1,817

36.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.73 €19.59

$26.21 ฿854

-13.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 €60.0

$85.8 ฿2,793

-18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 €78.2

$72.2 ฿2,353

25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 €739

$430 ฿14.0K

99.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 €610

$239 ฿7,774

196.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 €1,155

$817 ฿26.6K

64.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$989 €852

$511 ฿16.6K

93.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,634 €1,408

$1,484 ฿48.3K

10.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.44

-31.20%

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

Last update for Aranjuez: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $857 in Aranjuez versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Aranjuez versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $241 – 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

Aranjuez vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Aranjuez is pricier by about 85%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,414 per month in Aranjuez and $1,303 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.

Public transport costs about 81% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $607 per month in Aranjuez and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Aranjuez at $1,610. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aranjuez it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Aranjuez makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.