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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,822 in Birzebbuga versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,730 in Birzebbuga versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,639 in Birzebbuga versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Birzebbuga is roughly 110% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Birzebbuga is 36% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.71 €13.53

$1.94 ฿63.6

709.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.2

$18.64 ฿609

237.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.83

$7.82 ฿256

46.04%

Cappuccino

$2.71 €2.33

$1.95 ฿63.9

38.97%

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

$2.22 €1.91

$0.85 ฿27.80

161.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.76

$0.35 ฿11.60

485.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 €2.80

$2.13 ฿69.7

52.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 €3.03

$3.73 ฿122

-5.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.71 ฿56.0

-19.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.63 ฿53.3

-20.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 €2.68

$1.14 ฿37.18

173.68%

Eggs

$3.86 €3.32

$1.93 ฿63.2

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 €9.04

$16.21 ฿530

-35.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 €8.16

$3.12 ฿102

203.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 €12.21

$10.90 ฿356

30.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 €2.49

$2.75 ฿90.1

5.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.21 ฿39.56

67.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 €2.68

$1.62 ฿53.0

91.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$1.59 ฿51.9

86.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.40 ฿45.75

15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.17 ฿38.20

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.31

$0.66 ฿21.62

131.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.53 ฿17.24

49.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.25 €5.39

$4.69 ฿153

33.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 €5.94

$18.66 ฿610

-63.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.80 ฿58.8

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.95

$3.23 ฿106

-29.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.90 ฿29.28

122.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.86 €12.80

$19.21 ฿628

-22.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 €4.95

$1.41 ฿45.96

307.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 €3.28

$1.29 ฿42.16

195.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.61 €39.28

$7.84 ฿256

481.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.27 ฿41.62

18.90%

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

$31.1K €26.8K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

46.02%

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

$27.1K €23.4K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

22.09%

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

$92.6 €79.7

$69.1 ฿2,258

34.02%

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

$25.34 €21.82

$14.08 ฿460

79.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.06 €37.94

$18.00 ฿588

144.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 €48.86

$41.06 ฿1,342

38.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.88 €19.71

$6.96 ฿227

228.74%

Cinema Ticket

$10.58 €9.11

$5.92 ฿193

78.72%

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

$420 €362

$299 ฿9,775

40.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,134 €7,865

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-38.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 €80.2

$54.7 ฿1,788

70.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.93 €33.53

$26.77 ฿875

45.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 €81.9

$85.0 ฿2,778

11.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €87.9

$70.6 ฿2,308

44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 €896

$428 ฿14.0K

143.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 €727

$237 ฿7,759

255.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,814 €1,562

$801 ฿26.2K

126.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 €1,201

$515 ฿16.9K

170.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 €3,043

$1,975 ฿64.5K

78.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,954 €2,544

$1,475 ฿48.2K

100.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,882 €1,620

$617 ฿20.2K

204.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.54

-29.20%

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

Last update for Birzebbuga: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,041 in Birzebbuga and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Birzebbuga pays 205% 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: $63.0 in Birzebbuga vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $246 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Birzebbuga pays 205% 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: $1,041 in Birzebbuga versus $428 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 $19.00 versus $63.0 in Birzebbuga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,822 per month in Birzebbuga versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,822 in Birzebbuga, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Birzebbuga. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Birzebbuga, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Birzebbuga 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 110% less than in Birzebbuga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.