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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,670 in Bergamo versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,554 in Bergamo versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,438 in Bergamo versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bergamo is roughly 76% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bergamo is 22% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 €14.25

$2.08 ฿69.4

694.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.3 €75.3

$19.64 ฿654

344.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 €9.86

$5.65 ฿188

102.30%

Cappuccino

$1.92 €1.65

$1.81 ฿60.1

6.08%

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

$3.42 €2.95

$0.71 ฿23.75

381.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$0.32 ฿10.52

334.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 €4.96

$2.24 ฿74.5

157.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 €4.98

$3.63 ฿121

59.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.96 ฿65.2

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 €1.90

$1.50 ฿50.0

46.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 €2.77

$1.34 ฿44.49

139.55%

Eggs

$3.90 €3.36

$2.26 ฿75.4

72.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.55 €13.42

$16.26 ฿541

-4.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.23 €10.55

$2.95 ฿98.4

314.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.25 €14.88

$9.94 ฿331

73.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.57 ฿85.7

-12.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 €1.54

$1.06 ฿35.18

67.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.61 ฿53.7

52.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 €2.40

$1.52 ฿50.6

83.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 €1.56

$1.27 ฿42.30

41.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.07 ฿35.51

109.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.72 ฿23.98

158.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 €0.43

$0.51 ฿16.94

-1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.74 €6.67

$4.19 ฿140

84.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.47 €3.86

$17.87 ฿595

-74.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.69 ฿56.4

-26.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.61

$2.84 ฿94.5

-34.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 €1.68

$0.93 ฿30.82

108.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.38 €40.00

$53.9 ฿1,794

-13.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.61 €9.16

$1.23 ฿41.11

762.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.58 ฿19.20

310.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.45 €34.89

$2.42 ฿80.7

1571.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.41 ฿47.03

43.97%

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

$37.6K €32.4K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

75.21%

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

$35.9K €31.0K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

31.44%

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

$200 €172

$63.7 ฿2,120

213.99%

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

$8.78 €7.57

$12.85 ฿428

-31.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.92 €25.80

$20.22 ฿673

47.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.39 €28.80

$38.74 ฿1,290

-13.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 €20.55

$3.97 ฿132

500.25%

Cinema Ticket

$11.75 €10.13

$6.74 ฿224

74.33%

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

$586 €505

$778 ฿25.9K

-24.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K €12.6K

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-0.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 €67.4

$54.3 ฿1,808

44.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.77 €29.12

$25.45 ฿847

32.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 €78.9

$94.3 ฿3,141

-2.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 €94.0

$73.4 ฿2,446

48.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 €664

$490 ฿16.3K

57.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 €528

$289 ฿9,634

111.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 €1,211

$894 ฿29.8K

57.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 €812

$517 ฿17.2K

81.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,718 €3,207

$1,955 ฿65.1K

90.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,647 €2,283

$1,477 ฿49.2K

79.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,441 €2,105

$602 ฿20.0K

305.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.06

5.57

-45.06%

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

Last update for Bergamo: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $770 in Bergamo and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergamo pays 305% 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: $87.0 in Bergamo vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $313 vs $240 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

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

Bergamo and Chiang Mai differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($1,670 vs $947 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 305% higher in Bergamo, 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: $770 in Bergamo versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $87.0 in Bergamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,670 per month in Bergamo versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,670 in Bergamo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bergamo. 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, Bergamo 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 76% less than in Bergamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.