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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,219 per month in Bologna vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,491 per month in Bologna vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,764 per month in Bologna vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bologna costs about 134% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bologna sits 62% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.38 €20.10

$2.08 ฿68.6

1024.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.6 €80.5

$19.64 ฿646

376.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 €12.02

$5.65 ฿186

147.43%

Cappuccino

$2.26 €1.95

$1.81 ฿59.4

24.86%

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

$3.72 €3.20

$0.71 ฿23.45

423.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.61

$0.32 ฿10.38

487.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 €5.93

$2.24 ฿73.6

208.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 €5.04

$3.63 ฿119

61.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.96 ฿64.4

-27.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 €2.69

$1.50 ฿49.39

108.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 €2.66

$1.34 ฿43.93

130.60%

Eggs

$4.14 €3.56

$2.26 ฿74.5

83.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.07 €18.12

$16.26 ฿535

29.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.79 €11.00

$2.95 ฿97.1

333.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.97 €18.89

$9.94 ฿327

121.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 €2.16

$2.57 ฿84.6

-2.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$1.06 ฿34.73

130.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$1.61 ฿53.0

75.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 €3.11

$1.52 ฿49.97

137.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.27 ฿41.77

51.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.07 ฿35.06

72.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.72 ฿23.68

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 €0.49

$0.51 ฿16.72

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.40 €6.36

$4.19 ฿138

76.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 €6.91

$17.87 ฿587

-55.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.69 ฿55.7

18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.84 ฿93.3

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 €2.24

$0.93 ฿30.43

180.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.90 €39.46

$53.9 ฿1,771

-14.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.10

$1.23 ฿40.59

287.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.58 ฿18.96

194.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.87 €29.12

$2.42 ฿79.7

1299.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.84

$1.41 ฿46.43

52.48%

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

$37.5K €32.2K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

74.85%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

36.11%

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

$255 €219

$63.7 ฿2,093

300.60%

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

$11.63 €10.00

$12.85 ฿423

-9.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.90 €27.43

$20.22 ฿665

57.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.8 €57.4

$38.74 ฿1,274

72.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.56 €23.69

$3.97 ฿130

594.21%

Cinema Ticket

$10.59 €9.11

$6.74 ฿222

57.12%

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

$792 €681

$778 ฿25.6K

1.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K €14.4K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

14.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.9 €83.3

$54.3 ฿1,785

78.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.47 €41.67

$25.45 ฿837

90.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €104

$94.3 ฿3,102

27.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 €134

$73.4 ฿2,415

111.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 €1,014

$490 ฿16.1K

140.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$908 €781

$289 ฿9,512

213.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,191 €1,883

$894 ฿29.4K

145.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 €1,416

$517 ฿17.0K

218.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,201 €4,471

$1,955 ฿64.3K

166.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,918 €3,368

$1,477 ฿48.6K

165.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 €1,936

$602 ฿19.8K

274.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.22

5.57

-42.19%

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

Last update for Bologna: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,180 in Bologna versus $490 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 274% higher in Bologna, 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 $94.0 in Bologna versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $240 – 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

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

Bologna costs about 134% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,329 per month in Bologna and $1,421 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.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $792 per month in Bologna and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Bologna at $2,219. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bologna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $2,219 in Bologna. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Bologna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.