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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,296 per month in Arklow vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,099 per month in Arklow vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,903 per month in Arklow vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Arklow costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arklow and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Arklow 6% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.95 €18.93

$2.08 ฿69.4

955.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €80.4

$19.64 ฿654

374.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 €10.11

$5.65 ฿188

107.43%

Cappuccino

$4.38 €3.78

$1.81 ฿60.1

141.99%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$0.71 ฿23.75

316.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.32 ฿10.52

603.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 €4.83

$2.24 ฿74.5

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 €4.66

$3.63 ฿121

48.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.96 ฿65.2

-9.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 €2.01

$1.50 ฿50.0

55.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.34 ฿44.49

47.01%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.07

$2.26 ฿75.4

108.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.39 €12.41

$16.26 ฿541

-11.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.63 €11.75

$2.95 ฿98.4

362.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 €14.63

$9.94 ฿331

70.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$2.57 ฿85.7

26.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.06 ฿35.18

180.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 €3.05

$1.61 ฿53.7

119.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 €4.31

$1.52 ฿50.6

228.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.27 ฿42.30

82.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.07 ฿35.51

77.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.72 ฿23.98

108.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.84

$0.51 ฿16.94

317.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.21 €18.29

$4.19 ฿140

406.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 €12.16

$17.87 ฿595

-21.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 €3.73

$1.69 ฿56.4

155.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 €3.12

$2.84 ฿94.5

27.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,794

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.71

$1.23 ฿41.11

343.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.33

$0.58 ฿19.20

165.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.56 €29.80

$2.42 ฿80.7

1328.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.41 ฿47.03

51.77%

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

$40.0K €34.5K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

86.62%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

45.51%

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

$248 €214

$63.7 ฿2,120

289.63%

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

$22.42 €19.34

$12.85 ฿428

74.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 €49.54

$20.22 ฿673

184.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.92 €39.61

$38.74 ฿1,290

18.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$14.21 €12.26

$6.74 ฿224

110.83%

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

$1,110 €958

$778 ฿25.9K

42.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,659 €4,881

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-61.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 €85.3

$54.3 ฿1,808

82.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 €38.69

$25.45 ฿847

76.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.0

$94.3 ฿3,141

16.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$73.4 ฿2,446

66.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,634

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,953 €4,272

$602 ฿20.0K

722.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

5.57

-25.67%

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

Last update for Arklow: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 723% higher in Arklow, 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 $93.0 in Arklow versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $240 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,296 in Arklow, $947 in Chiang Mai – roughly 37% apart. Arklow costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,944 per month in Arklow and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Arklow and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% more in Arklow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Arklow at $1,296. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arklow 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 $947 in Chiang Mai to $1,296 in Arklow. 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, Arklow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.