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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,528 in Balbriggan versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,767 in Balbriggan versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,005 in Balbriggan versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Balbriggan is roughly 197% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Balbriggan is 89% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.28 €19.93

$1.96 ฿64.0

1087.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 €90.1

$18.81 ฿615

459.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 €10.75

$7.92 ฿259

58.59%

Cappuccino

$4.60 €3.93

$1.91 ฿62.6

140.84%

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

$2.46 €2.11

$0.84 ฿27.41

192.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.90

$0.35 ฿11.51

534.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 €7.06

$2.21 ฿72.1

273.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 €5.98

$3.80 ฿124

83.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.64 ฿53.5

1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.62 ฿53.1

30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 €1.79

$1.18 ฿38.62

77.12%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.78

$2.01 ฿65.8

61.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 €9.54

$15.89 ฿520

-29.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 €9.89

$3.01 ฿98.5

284.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 €12.29

$10.77 ฿352

33.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 €2.73

$2.61 ฿85.5

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.82

$1.22 ฿39.88

74.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 €2.53

$1.70 ฿55.7

74.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.48 €4.69

$1.58 ฿51.5

246.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$1.32 ฿43.14

67.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.17 ฿38.23

51.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.12

$0.67 ฿21.98

95.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.73

$0.56 ฿18.32

260.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.58 €17.62

$4.53 ฿148

354.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 €11.97

$18.20 ฿595

-23.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 €2.52

$1.83 ฿60.0

61.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 €2.19

$3.23 ฿106

-20.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.13

$0.89 ฿29.00

179.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 €85.7

$19.38 ฿634

416.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 €4.45

$1.35 ฿44.20

285.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.76

$1.35 ฿44.05

52.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.29 €32.78

$8.25 ฿270

364.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.27 ฿41.64

55.91%

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

$43.0K €36.8K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

103.26%

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

$40.9K €35.0K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

82.10%

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

$177 €151

$70.2 ฿2,294

152.15%

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

$17.24 €14.76

$13.77 ฿450

25.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.73 €40.00

$17.60 ฿575

165.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 €46.43

$41.57 ฿1,360

30.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$13.94 €11.94

$5.78 ฿189

141.18%

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

$1,361 €1,165

$306 ฿10.0K

344.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,730 €8,329

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-34.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.1

$54.4 ฿1,778

91.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.21 €25.00

$26.14 ฿855

11.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 €54.5

$84.5 ฿2,764

-24.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €111

$69.4 ฿2,270

87.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 €1,257

$424 ฿13.9K

246.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 €1,078

$238 ฿7,788

428.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 €2,037

$825 ฿27.0K

188.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 €1,688

$515 ฿16.8K

282.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,621 €3,956

$2,049 ฿67.0K

125.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,438 €2,087

$635 ฿20.8K

283.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

-19.20%

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

Last update for Balbriggan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,469 in Balbriggan and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balbriggan pays 284% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $105 in Balbriggan vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Balbriggan and Chiang Mai differ by about 197% in total monthly costs ($2,528 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Balbriggan pays 284% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,469 in Balbriggan versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Balbriggan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $105 in Balbriggan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,528 in Balbriggan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Balbriggan. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Balbriggan and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Balbriggan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.