Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calella and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,596 in Calella, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calella, Spain
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Calella
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,596
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calella and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calella and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,596 per month in Calella vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Calella $1,596
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $2,366 per month in Calella vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Calella $2,366
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $3,137 per month in Calella vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Calella $3,137
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Calella costs about 72% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Calella sits 18% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calella
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.73 €13.13
$2.29 ฿77.2
543.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.4 €50.3
$19.64 ฿663
187.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.03 €7.15
$5.61 ฿189
43.14%
Cappuccino
$2.49 €2.22
$1.66 ฿56.1
50.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 €2.08
$0.70 ฿23.61
232.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 €1.59
$0.31 ฿10.33
477.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.46 €3.08
$2.41 ฿81.1
43.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.95
$3.71 ฿125
-10.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calella
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 €0.99
$1.95 ฿65.9
-43.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.41 ฿47.47
48.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.88 €2.57
$1.31 ฿44.03
119.85%
Eggs
$3.03 €2.70
$2.18 ฿73.6
38.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.61 €13.03
$16.65 ฿562
-12.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.31 €7.41
$2.76 ฿93.0
201.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.33 €13.66
$9.11 ฿307
68.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.48 €2.21
$2.39 ฿80.7
3.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.03 ฿34.58
91.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 €1.41
$1.63 ฿54.9
-3.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 €2.15
$1.50 ฿50.5
61.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 €1.60
$1.29 ฿43.53
38.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.11 ฿37.37
67.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.72 ฿24.30
91.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 €0.55
$0.53 ฿17.76
16.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.96 €6.21
$4.31 ฿145
61.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.56 €4.96
$17.95 ฿605
-69.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.95
$1.58 ฿53.4
-32.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 €2.17
$2.84 ฿95.9
-14.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Calella
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.46 €1.30
$0.86 ฿29.13
69.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.71 €28.26
$53.3 ฿1,797
-40.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.77 €3.36
$1.21 ฿40.66
211.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.24 €1.11
$0.57 ฿19.16
117.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.51 €12.93
$2.35 ฿79.4
517.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.83 €1.63
$1.44 ฿48.40
27.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.4K €35.1K
$20.7K ฿699.2K
90.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.0K €27.6K
$26.8K ฿904.0K
15.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calella
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 €104
$62.3 ฿2,102
87.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 €12.05
$12.11 ฿408
11.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.05 €22.32
$19.94 ฿673
25.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calella
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.23 €41.20
$37.07 ฿1,250
24.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.63 €15.71
$3.78 ฿127
366.40%
Cinema Ticket
$8.35 €7.44
$6.50 ฿219
28.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calella
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$560 €499
$793 ฿26.7K
-29.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,945 €8,864
$14.8K ฿499.5K
-32.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calella
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.6 €55.8
$53.7 ฿1,813
16.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.12 €18.82
$24.62 ฿831
-14.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 €101
$90.9 ฿3,064
25.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$160 €143
$71.1 ฿2,400
125.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calella
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$904 €805
$455 ฿15.4K
98.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$684 €610
$298 ฿10.0K
129.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,356 €1,208
$908 ฿30.6K
49.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,011 €901
$554 ฿18.7K
82.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,081 €2,746
$1,931 ฿65.1K
59.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,932 €1,722
$1,445 ฿48.7K
33.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calella
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,725 €1,537
$591 ฿19.9K
191.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.3
5.57
-40.75%

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

Last update for Calella: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Calella
$684
Chiang Mai
$298 56.5% $386
Groceries & Markets
Calella
$273
Chiang Mai
$235 13.7% $37
Eating Out
Calella
$212
Chiang Mai
$79 63% $134
Clothing & Footwear
Calella
$161
Chiang Mai
$108 32.8% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calella
$155
Chiang Mai
$94 39.3% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Calella
$63
Chiang Mai
$50 20.4% $13
Getting Around
Calella
$48
Chiang Mai
$61 27.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $904 in Calella versus $455 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 in Calella are about 2.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Calella versus $20 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Calella
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
09:36 9:36 AM
15:36 3:36 PM
6 h ahead of Calella
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,862
127,240
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.84 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calella Chiang Mai 9,140 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Calella
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Calella vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiang Mai cheaper than Calella?
Yes – Calella is pricier by about 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,394 per month in Calella and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $455 there versus $904 in Calella.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 40% less in Calella. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $560 per month in Calella and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Calella or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,596 in Calella and $925 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Calella or in Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $925 in Chiang Mai to $1,596 in Calella. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Calella or Chiang Mai?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Calella makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Calella vs other spots: cost of living compared

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