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 $2,182 per month in Bologna vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,410 per month in Bologna vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,639 per month in Bologna vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bologna costs about 152% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bologna sits 63% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.28 €20.05

$1.94 ฿63.6

1100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.6 €71.1

$18.64 ฿609

343.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 €10.38

$7.82 ฿256

54.22%

Cappuccino

$2.06 €1.77

$1.95 ฿63.9

5.64%

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

$3.54 €3.05

$0.85 ฿27.80

316.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.19

$0.35 ฿11.60

297.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 €4.88

$2.13 ฿69.7

166.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$3.73 ฿122

58.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.71 ฿56.0

2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.63 ฿53.3

85.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 €2.84

$1.14 ฿37.18

188.60%

Eggs

$4.19 €3.61

$1.93 ฿63.2

117.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.88 €18.84

$16.21 ฿530

34.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.99 €12.04

$3.12 ฿102

348.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.40 €20.15

$10.90 ฿356

114.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 €2.62

$2.75 ฿90.1

10.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 €2.49

$1.21 ฿39.56

138.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 €3.10

$1.62 ฿53.0

122.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.59 ฿51.9

180.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 €2.08

$1.40 ฿45.75

72.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.17 ฿38.20

74.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.22

$0.66 ฿21.62

115.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.44

$0.53 ฿17.24

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.13

$4.69 ฿153

51.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.38 €6.35

$18.66 ฿610

-60.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.80 ฿58.8

2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.69

$3.23 ฿106

-3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 €2.27

$0.90 ฿29.28

192.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.69 €35.90

$19.21 ฿628

117.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 €4.88

$1.41 ฿45.96

302.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.29 ฿42.16

13.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.96 €26.66

$7.84 ฿256

294.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.27 ฿41.62

59.84%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

81.46%

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

$38.4K €33.0K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

72.70%

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

$230 €198

$69.1 ฿2,258

232.94%

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

$11.26 €9.69

$14.08 ฿460

-20.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.03 €28.44

$18.00 ฿588

83.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 €58.6

$41.06 ฿1,342

65.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.96 €29.24

$6.96 ฿227

387.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 €10.81

$5.92 ฿193

111.99%

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

$917 €789

$299 ฿9,775

206.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.8K €23.9K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

85.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$54.7 ฿1,788

85.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 €44.44

$26.77 ฿875

92.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €104

$85.0 ฿2,778

42.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$194 €167

$70.6 ฿2,308

174.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 €953

$428 ฿14.0K

158.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 €742

$237 ฿7,759

263.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 €1,741

$801 ฿26.2K

152.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 €1,270

$515 ฿16.9K

186.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,365 €4,620

$1,975 ฿64.5K

171.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,022 €3,463

$1,475 ฿48.2K

172.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,201 €1,895

$617 ฿20.2K

256.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

-16.60%

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

Last update for Bologna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,107 in Bologna versus $428 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 256% 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 $83.0 in Bologna versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $246 – 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 152% 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 $3,272 per month in Bologna and $1,300 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 117% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $917 per month in Bologna and $299 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 $866, than in Bologna at $2,182. 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 $866 versus $2,182 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.