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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,778 per month in Benidorm vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,564 per month in Benidorm vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,350 per month in Benidorm vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Benidorm costs about 109% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Benidorm sits 34% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 €12.99

$2.04 ฿68.4

630.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 €46.22

$18.71 ฿626

183.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 €8.48

$7.86 ฿263

23.66%

Cappuccino

$2.36 €2.06

$2.03 ฿67.9

16.26%

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

$2.34 €2.04

$0.80 ฿26.71

192.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.19

$0.35 ฿11.71

288.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 €3.05

$2.14 ฿71.7

63.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.94

$3.67 ฿123

-8.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.02

$1.73 ฿57.8

-32.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.57 ฿52.5

-16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.20 ฿40.10

22.50%

Eggs

$2.81 €2.45

$1.97 ฿66.0

42.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 €9.99

$16.23 ฿543

-29.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.34

$3.06 ฿102

175.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 €12.50

$10.80 ฿361

32.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 €1.90

$2.77 ฿92.6

-21.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 €1.62

$1.17 ฿39.05

58.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.71 ฿57.1

16.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 €2.02

$1.59 ฿53.3

45.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 €1.57

$1.39 ฿46.63

29.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 €1.70

$1.16 ฿38.67

68.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 €0.96

$0.66 ฿22.11

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 €0.39

$0.52 ฿17.35

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 €5.25

$4.65 ฿155

29.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.24 €4.57

$17.78 ฿595

-70.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.79 ฿59.8

-26.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.32

$3.34 ฿112

-54.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.86 €1.63

$0.91 ฿30.35

104.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.07 €35.80

$18.64 ฿624

120.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 €3.07

$1.41 ฿47.17

149.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.34 ฿44.82

-10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.80 €21.62

$8.11 ฿271

205.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.51

$1.23 ฿41.27

41.46%

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

$32.2K €28.1K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

50.21%

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

$32.0K €27.9K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

46.71%

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

$141 €123

$71.3 ฿2,386

97.00%

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

$13.27 €11.57

$14.01 ฿469

-5.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 €26.34

$17.93 ฿600

68.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 €46.10

$40.82 ฿1,365

29.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.80 €34.70

$6.88 ฿230

478.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.94 €8.66

$5.72 ฿191

73.78%

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

$400 €349

$308 ฿10.3K

29.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,447 €6,492

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-49.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.0

$55.8 ฿1,865

80.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.43 €25.66

$26.04 ฿871

13.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 €61.2

$84.8 ฿2,837

-17.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 €91.6

$71.0 ฿2,375

48.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 €846

$423 ฿14.2K

129.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$840 €732

$242 ฿8,110

246.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 €1,399

$797 ฿26.7K

101.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 €1,148

$507 ฿17.0K

159.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,349 €4,663

$1,918 ฿64.2K

178.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,762 €2,408

$1,464 ฿49.0K

88.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,821 €1,588

$595 ฿19.9K

206.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

-37.40%

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

Last update for Benidorm: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $971 in Benidorm versus $423 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 206% higher in Benidorm, 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 $53.0 in Benidorm versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Benidorm vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Benidorm wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Benidorm is pricier by about 109%, 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 $2,667 per month in Benidorm and $1,279 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.

Kindergarten costs $400 per month in Benidorm and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Benidorm – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Benidorm at $1,778. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benidorm 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, Benidorm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.