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 $1,860 per month in Benalmadena vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,802 per month in Benalmadena vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,745 per month in Benalmadena vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Benalmadena costs about 118% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Benalmadena sits 39% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.01 €12.00

$1.96 ฿64.0

614.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 €46.21

$18.81 ฿615

187.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 €7.72

$7.92 ฿259

13.76%

Cappuccino

$2.37 €2.02

$1.91 ฿62.6

24.08%

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

$2.28 €1.95

$0.84 ฿27.41

171.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.35 ฿11.51

422.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 €2.80

$2.21 ฿72.1

47.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 €3.82

$3.80 ฿124

17.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €0.99

$1.64 ฿53.5

-29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.62 ฿53.1

-6.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 €1.59

$1.18 ฿38.62

57.63%

Eggs

$3.30 €2.83

$2.01 ฿65.8

64.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.23 €13.04

$15.89 ฿520

-4.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.16

$3.01 ฿98.5

216.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.19 €15.57

$10.77 ฿352

68.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.23

$2.61 ฿85.5

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 €1.86

$1.22 ฿39.88

77.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.70 ฿55.7

4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.38

$1.58 ฿51.5

75.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 €1.54

$1.32 ฿43.14

36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.17 ฿38.23

75.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.27

$0.67 ฿21.98

120.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$0.56 ฿18.32

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 €5.50

$4.53 ฿148

41.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 €5.21

$18.20 ฿595

-66.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.83 ฿60.0

-27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.97

$3.23 ฿106

-28.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 €1.76

$0.89 ฿29.00

131.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.59 €29.61

$19.38 ฿634

78.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 €3.91

$1.35 ฿44.20

238.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.35 ฿44.05

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.82 €21.25

$8.25 ฿270

200.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.54

$1.27 ฿41.64

41.73%

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

$38.4K €32.9K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

81.48%

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

$30.8K €26.4K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

36.92%

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

$134 €115

$70.2 ฿2,294

90.68%

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

$17.53 €15.00

$13.77 ฿450

27.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.48 €31.23

$17.60 ฿575

107.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.15 €42.07

$41.57 ฿1,360

18.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 €12.64

$6.60 ฿216

123.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 €7.91

$5.78 ฿189

59.86%

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

$452 €387

$306 ฿10.0K

47.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 €7,533

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-40.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 €72.8

$54.4 ฿1,778

56.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.79 €34.91

$26.14 ฿855

56.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 €80.0

$84.5 ฿2,764

10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €101

$69.4 ฿2,270

69.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 €862

$424 ฿13.9K

137.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$924 €791

$238 ฿7,788

287.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 €1,623

$825 ฿27.0K

129.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 €1,389

$515 ฿16.8K

214.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,352 €3,725

$2,049 ฿67.0K

112.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,669 €3,141

$1,523 ฿49.8K

140.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,707 €2,317

$635 ฿20.8K

326.20%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,007 in Benalmadena 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 326% 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 $54.0 in Benalmadena versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 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

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

Yes – Benalmadena is pricier by about 118%, 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 $2,789 per month in Benalmadena 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.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $54.0 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 $852, than in Benalmadena at $1,860. 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.