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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Calella vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,426 per month in Calella vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,211 per month in Calella vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Calella costs about 73% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Calella sits 19% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.14 €13.01

$2.10 ฿69.0

620.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 €49.58

$19.84 ฿653

190.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 €7.07

$5.79 ฿191

41.97%

Cappuccino

$2.51 €2.16

$1.83 ฿60.2

37.16%

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

$2.52 €2.16

$0.78 ฿25.51

223.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.31 ฿10.33

496.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 €3.07

$2.34 ฿76.9

52.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 €2.99

$3.70 ฿122

-5.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.03

$2.03 ฿66.8

-41.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.60 ฿52.5

30.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 €2.58

$1.42 ฿46.57

111.27%

Eggs

$3.19 €2.74

$2.18 ฿71.6

46.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.13 €13.00

$15.91 ฿523

-4.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$3.07 ฿101

173.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.82 €13.60

$9.87 ฿325

60.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 €2.22

$2.63 ฿86.4

-1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.10 ฿36.05

85.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.63 ฿53.6

1.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$1.53 ฿50.4

67.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.24 ฿40.97

50.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.13 ฿37.22

71.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.34

$0.74 ฿24.29

109.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 €0.55

$0.50 ฿16.42

28.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.94 €5.97

$4.28 ฿141

62.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.95 €5.11

$17.97 ฿591

-66.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.70 ฿55.9

-37.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.90 ฿95.3

-14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.94 ฿31.00

54.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.89 €33.42

$55.3 ฿1,820

-29.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 €4.01

$1.23 ฿40.60

279.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.53 ฿17.59

158.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 €12.92

$2.40 ฿79.0

526.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.44 ฿47.37

20.14%

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

$40.9K €35.2K

$21.2K ฿697.5K

93.14%

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

$32.9K €28.2K

$27.3K ฿898.6K

20.34%

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

$119 €102

$64.9 ฿2,137

82.54%

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

$14.06 €12.08

$13.35 ฿439

5.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.67 €22.92

$20.83 ฿686

28.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 €43.96

$40.42 ฿1,330

26.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.09 €13.83

$3.95 ฿130

307.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 €7.36

$6.71 ฿221

27.72%

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

$574 €493

$787 ฿25.9K

-27.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,897

$15.1K ฿497.7K

-31.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 €55.7

$56.2 ฿1,850

15.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.86 €18.78

$24.95 ฿821

-12.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$92.7 ฿3,051

26.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 €140

$75.1 ฿2,472

116.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 €788

$484 ฿15.9K

89.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 €600

$287 ฿9,454

143.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 €1,203

$910 ฿29.9K

53.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 €906

$531 ฿17.5K

98.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,531 €3,034

$1,980 ฿65.2K

78.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,642 €2,270

$1,451 ฿47.8K

82.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,779 €1,528

$605 ฿19.9K

193.84%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $917 in Calella versus $484 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 194% higher in Calella, 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 $58.0 in Calella versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $242 – 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

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

Yes – Calella is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Calella and $1,426 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 42% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $574 per month in Calella and $787 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 $950, than in Calella at $1,641. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calella it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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