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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,395 in Aarhus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,803 in Aarhus, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,211 in Aarhus, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Aarhus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Aarhus is 80% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$23.29 DKK 152

-91.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$117 DKK 763

-84.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$14.17 DKK 92.4

-44.53%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$6.87 DKK 44.75

-70.45%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$4.75 DKK 30.93

-83.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$3.18 DKK 20.73

-88.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$9.35 DKK 60.9

-77.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$7.84 DKK 51.1

-53.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.99 DKK 12.98

-13.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.30 DKK 21.51

-52.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$2.47 DKK 16.12

-51.42%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$5.04 DKK 32.86

-60.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$13.76 DKK 89.7

17.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$10.71 DKK 69.8

-71.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$16.08 DKK 105

-32.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.02 DKK 19.69

-8.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$3.21 DKK 20.91

-63.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$3.61 DKK 23.56

-52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$5.93 DKK 38.66

-73.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$2.37 DKK 15.46

-41.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.81 DKK 11.79

-35.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.32 DKK 15.13

-71.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.78 DKK 5.10

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$9.91 DKK 64.6

-53.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$10.44 DKK 68.1

70.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.91 DKK 12.46

-6.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.05 DKK 13.34

62.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$3.67 DKK 23.94

-75.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$64.0 DKK 417

-70.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$7.60 DKK 49.53

-81.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.73 DKK 11.29

-22.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$61.4 DKK 400

-86.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$2.12 DKK 13.80

-41.98%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$48.3K DKK 314.5K

-55.57%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$49.0K DKK 319.6K

-55.50%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$210 DKK 1,367

-65.99%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$19.67 DKK 128

-28.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$42.57 DKK 277

-57.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$47.95 DKK 312

-14.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.26 DKK 230

-80.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$18.98 DKK 124

-69.86%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$746 DKK 4,864

-58.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$5,850 DKK 38.1K

150.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$104 DKK 676

-46.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$35.20 DKK 229

-26.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$121 DKK 785

-29.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$195 DKK 1,273

-63.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,458 DKK 9,500

-70.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$1,010 DKK 6,582

-75.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$2,098 DKK 13.7K

-62.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,802 DKK 11.7K

-71.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$7,681 DKK 50.1K

-75.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$5,334 DKK 34.8K

-72.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$4,384 DKK 28.6K

-86.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Aarhus: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,458 in Aarhus. 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 637% higher in Aarhus, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $117 in Aarhus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $368 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai, $2,395 in Aarhus – roughly 181% apart. Aarhus costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,593 in Aarhus. 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 243% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $746 in Aarhus. 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 $852, than in Aarhus at $2,395. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarhus it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Aarhus has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $852 in Chiang Mai to $2,395 in Aarhus. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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