Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Akranes

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $3,713 in Akranes, rent and utilities included – about $33,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
179

Cost of Living Index in Akranes
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Akranes Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Akranes

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,713

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $3,713 in Akranes.

Chiang Mai $936
Akranes $3,713

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $5,859 in Akranes.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Akranes $5,859

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $8,006 in Akranes.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Akranes $8,006

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 75% less than in Akranes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Akranes is 173% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$31.70 ISK 3,848

-92.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$123 ISK 15.0K

-84.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$26.72 ISK 3,243

-79.23%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$6.01 ISK 730

-72.21%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$3.19 ISK 388

-79.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$2.51 ISK 304

-87.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$10.69 ISK 1,298

-77.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$8.10 ISK 984

-54.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.10 ISK 255

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$2.04 ISK 248

-29.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$3.71 ISK 451

-64.15%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$6.26 ISK 760

-63.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$20.35 ISK 2,470

-19.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$24.72 ISK 3,001

-88.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$42.16 ISK 5,119

-77.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$3.30 ISK 400

-28.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$2.72 ISK 330

-64.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.23 ISK 392

-50.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$4.89 ISK 593

-69.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$3.82 ISK 463

-66.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.71 ISK 207

-35.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$3.65 ISK 443

-80.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$1.81 ISK 220

-72.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$13.90 ISK 1,687

-70.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$23.57 ISK 2,862

-25.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.88 ISK 350

-44.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.07 ISK 251

34.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$3.61 ISK 439

-75.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$72.3 ISK 8,778

-25.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$6.55 ISK 795

-82.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.25 ISK 152

-57.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$81.9 ISK 9,944

-97.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$2.08 ISK 252

-30.29%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$67.8K ISK 8.2M

-68.95%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$54.6K ISK 6.6M

-50.62%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$96.4 ISK 11.7K

-35.49%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$33.29 ISK 4,041

-63.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$85.0 ISK 10.3K

-76.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$104 ISK 12.6K

-64.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$19.29 ISK 2,342

-66.36%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$1,205 ISK 146.3K

-38.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$26.1K ISK 3.2M

-43.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$150 ISK 18.2K

-64.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$67.1 ISK 8,147

-63.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$179 ISK 21.7K

-48.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$246 ISK 29.8K

-70.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$3,064 ISK 372.0K

-84.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$1,889 ISK 229.3K

-83.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$5,013 ISK 608.6K

-79.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$3,654 ISK 443.6K

-82.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$5,704 ISK 692.5K

-89.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.81

-36.78%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Akranes: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Akranes

$1.9K 50.9% 512% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Akranes

$579 15.6% 147% $345

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Akranes

$289 7.8% 166% $180

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Akranes

$215 5.8% 127% $120

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Akranes

$498 13.4% 542% $421

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Akranes

$100 2.7% 62.3% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Akranes

$143 3.9% 184% $92

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Chiang Mai and $3,064 in Akranes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays about 9.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $123 in Akranes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $579 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇸 Akranes

🕒 Local time

12:43 12:43 PM

05:43 5:43 AM

7 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

7,800

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.38 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Akranes 9,510 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Akranes

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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 75% lower than in Akranes. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Chiang Mai. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Chiang Mai versus $3,064 in Akranes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $3,713 in Akranes – Chiang Mai is about 75% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 25% less than in Akranes. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Akranes are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.