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 $1,620 per month in Aranjuez vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,374 per month in Aranjuez vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,128 per month in Aranjuez vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Aranjuez costs about 90% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Aranjuez sits 21% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.34 €13.13

$1.96 ฿64.0

682.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 €49.71

$18.81 ฿615

208.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 €11.08

$7.92 ฿259

63.38%

Cappuccino

$2.58 €2.21

$1.91 ฿62.6

35.08%

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

$2.51 €2.15

$0.84 ฿27.41

198.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.73

$0.35 ฿11.51

477.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.04

$2.21 ฿72.1

61.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.94

$3.80 ฿124

-9.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.64 ฿53.5

-29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.62 ฿53.1

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.18 ฿38.62

43.22%

Eggs

$2.87 €2.46

$2.01 ฿65.8

42.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 €9.72

$15.89 ฿520

-28.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.48 €7.26

$3.01 ฿98.5

181.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 €12.09

$10.77 ฿352

31.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.24

$2.61 ฿85.5

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.22 ฿39.88

50.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.70 ฿55.7

22.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 €1.99

$1.58 ฿51.5

46.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.32 ฿43.14

38.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.63

$1.17 ฿38.23

63.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.35

$0.67 ฿21.98

135.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 €0.59

$0.56 ฿18.32

23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 €5.55

$4.53 ฿148

43.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 €4.96

$18.20 ฿595

-68.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 €1.31

$1.83 ฿60.0

-16.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.70

$3.23 ฿106

-38.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.45

$0.89 ฿29.00

89.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.58 €29.60

$19.38 ฿634

78.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 €3.03

$1.35 ฿44.20

162.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.35 ฿44.05

-14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.48 €20.95

$8.25 ฿270

196.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.27 ฿41.64

38.58%

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

$28.5K €24.4K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

34.83%

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

$27.2K €23.3K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

20.96%

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

$143 €123

$70.2 ฿2,294

104.05%

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

$13.24 €11.33

$13.77 ฿450

-3.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 €25.77

$17.60 ฿575

71.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.15 €41.22

$41.57 ฿1,360

15.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.94 €12.79

$6.60 ฿216

126.36%

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 €8.58

$5.78 ฿189

73.36%

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

$595 €509

$306 ฿10.0K

94.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.0K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-21.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 €64.4

$54.4 ฿1,778

38.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.99 €19.68

$26.14 ฿855

-12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 €60.5

$84.5 ฿2,764

-16.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 €80.5

$69.4 ฿2,270

35.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 €726

$424 ฿13.9K

100.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 €597

$238 ฿7,788

192.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 €1,149

$825 ฿27.0K

62.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 €858

$515 ฿16.8K

94.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,898 €3,337

$2,049 ฿67.0K

90.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,376 €2,034

$1,523 ฿49.8K

56.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,712 €1,465

$635 ฿20.8K

169.45%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $848 in Aranjuez versus $424 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 169% higher in Aranjuez, 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 $58.0 in Aranjuez versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 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

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

Yes – Aranjuez is pricier by about 90%, 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 $2,430 per month in Aranjuez and $1,278 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 78% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $595 per month in Aranjuez and $306 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 $852, than in Aranjuez at $1,620. 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.