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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,882 per month in Benalmadena vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,800 per month in Benalmadena vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,718 per month in Benalmadena vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Benalmadena costs about 117% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Benalmadena sits 40% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.69 €11.80

$1.98 ฿64.3

591.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 €47.22

$18.80 ฿612

191.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 €7.94

$7.75 ฿252

18.84%

Cappuccino

$2.25 €1.94

$1.92 ฿62.5

17.19%

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

$2.26 €1.94

$0.79 ฿25.79

186.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.65

$0.36 ฿11.62

430.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 €2.69

$2.21 ฿72.1

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 €3.70

$3.66 ฿119

17.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.65 ฿53.8

-29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.63 ฿53.2

-3.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.19 ฿38.86

59.66%

Eggs

$3.42 €2.95

$2.00 ฿65.1

71.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.21 €13.11

$15.98 ฿520

-4.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.35 €8.06

$3.03 ฿98.5

208.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.84 €15.37

$10.86 ฿354

64.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$2.76 ฿90.0

-7.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.18 ฿38.42

83.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.64 ฿53.5

9.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$1.52 ฿49.51

82.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.38 ฿45.10

35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.19 ฿38.84

78.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.28

$0.70 ฿22.86

111.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$0.56 ฿18.13

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.73

$4.58 ฿149

45.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 €5.05

$16.56 ฿539

-64.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.83 ฿59.5

-27.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.02

$3.20 ฿104

-26.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 €1.76

$0.88 ฿28.56

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.93 €29.24

$18.72 ฿610

81.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 €3.98

$1.36 ฿44.16

239.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.34 ฿43.65

-19.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.04 €21.58

$7.84 ฿256

219.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.23 ฿39.92

47.15%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

80.55%

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

$31.0K €26.7K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

37.31%

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

$134 €115

$70.5 ฿2,298

89.99%

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

$17.77 €15.31

$13.68 ฿445

29.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.81 €31.71

$17.45 ฿568

110.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.74 €41.13

$41.33 ฿1,346

15.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.24 €13.13

$6.96 ฿227

118.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 €7.75

$5.77 ฿188

55.81%

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

$457 €394

$307 ฿10.0K

48.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,111 €7,850

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-37.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$55.8 ฿1,817

54.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 €36.05

$26.21 ฿854

59.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 €81.1

$85.8 ฿2,793

9.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.8

$72.2 ฿2,353

60.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 €873

$430 ฿14.0K

135.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$913 €786

$239 ฿7,774

282.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 €1,614

$817 ฿26.6K

129.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 €1,377

$511 ฿16.6K

212.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,316 €3,718

$1,983 ฿64.6K

117.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,675 €3,166

$1,484 ฿48.3K

147.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,978 €3,428

$619 ฿20.2K

542.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

-30.80%

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

Last update for Benalmadena: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Benalmadena 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.

Salaries run about 543% higher in Benalmadena, 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 $55.0 in Benalmadena versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 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

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

Yes – Benalmadena is pricier by about 117%, 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 $2,823 per month in Benalmadena 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.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Benalmadena, 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 $55.0 in Benalmadena and $19.00 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 $869, than in Benalmadena at $1,882. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benalmadena 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, Benalmadena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.