Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Arezzo

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,680 in Arezzo, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Arezzo
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,680
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Arezzo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $938 in Chiang Mai versus $1,680 in Arezzo.

  • Chiang Mai $938
  • Arezzo $1,680

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Chiang Mai versus $2,608 in Arezzo.

  • Chiang Mai $1,426
  • Arezzo $2,608

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,914 in Chiang Mai versus $3,535 in Arezzo.

  • Chiang Mai $1,914
  • Arezzo $3,535

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 44% less than in Arezzo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 30% below, Arezzo is 24% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Arezzo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.26 ฿75.4
$19.58 €17.42
-88.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.18 ฿641
$78.9 €70.2
-75.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.59 ฿187
$11.03 €9.81
-49.32%
Cappuccino
$1.72 ฿57.6
$2.29 €2.03
-24.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.54
$2.98 €2.65
-78.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿11.18
$1.24 €1.10
-73.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿78.7
$5.66 €5.03
-58.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 ฿130
$4.49 €3.99
-13.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Arezzo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ฿68.6
$1.42 €1.26
44.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.40 ฿46.70
$2.78 €2.47
-49.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.89
$2.43 €2.16
-47.33%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.3
$3.36 €2.99
-33.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.94 ฿566
$17.48 €15.55
-3.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.74 ฿91.6
$12.12 €10.78
-77.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.36 ฿313
$17.75 €15.79
-47.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.3
$2.08 €1.85
15.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 ฿33.92
$1.89 €1.68
-46.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 ฿53.9
$2.25 €2.00
-28.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.7
$5.17 €4.60
-70.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.90
$1.61 €1.43
-20.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.22
$1.72 €1.53
-35.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.09
$1.24 €1.11
-41.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.54
$0.40 €0.35
30.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33 ฿145
$6.75 €6.01
-35.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.73 ฿593
$5.73 €5.09
209.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$0.98 €0.87
66.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.3
$0.99 €0.88
187.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Arezzo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 ฿28.31
$3.37 €3.00
-74.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 ฿1,801
$60.0 €53.3
-10.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 ฿39.18
$5.21 €4.64
-77.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿19.00
$1.20 €1.07
-52.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.37 ฿79.2
$24.96 €22.21
-90.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.32
$1.97 €1.75
-26.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K ฿684.3K
$36.0K €32.0K
-43.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿886.1K
$35.3K €31.4K
-24.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Arezzo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$282 €251
-77.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.27 ฿410
$8.10 €7.21
51.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.97 ฿668
$21.90 €19.48
-8.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Arezzo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.91 ฿1,267
$33.63 €29.91
12.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.76 ฿126
$10.47 €9.32
-64.09%
Cinema Ticket
$6.71 ฿224
$10.30 €9.16
-34.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Arezzo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 ฿26.6K
$447 €397
78.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿495.7K
$12.0K €10.7K
23.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Arezzo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$77.2 €68.7
-31.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.05 ฿837
$28.07 €24.97
-10.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.6 ฿3,062
$100 €89.2
-8.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.5 ฿2,455
$85.0 €75.6
-13.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Arezzo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$464 ฿15.5K
$630 €561
-26.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ฿10.2K
$503 €448
-39.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$915 ฿30.6K
$1,161 €1,032
-21.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 ฿18.5K
$910 €809
-39.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,912 ฿63.9K
$2,224 €1,978
-14.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,438 ฿48.1K
$1,453 €1,292
-1.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Arezzo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
$1,708 €1,520
-65.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.02
84.44%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Arezzo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$305
Arezzo
$503 65.2% $199
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$238
Arezzo
$324 36.3% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$110
Arezzo
$131 19.4% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$95
Arezzo
$312 230% $217
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Arezzo
$271 243% $192
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Arezzo
$85 38.1% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Arezzo
$54 5.6% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $464 in Chiang Mai and $630 in Arezzo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arezzo pays 187% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $79.0 in Arezzo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $324 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇹 Arezzo
🕒 Local time
08:03 8:03 AM
03:03 3:03 AM
5 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
99,543
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Arezzo 8,360 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Arezzo

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 Arezzo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Arezzo?
Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 79% lower than in Arezzo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chiang Mai or in Arezzo?
On paper, salaries run 187% lower in Arezzo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chiang Mai compared to Arezzo?
Rent for a central apartment: $464 in Chiang Mai versus $630 in Arezzo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Arezzo?
Childcare runs $797 in Chiang Mai versus $447 in Arezzo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Arezzo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Arezzo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Arezzo?
At $938 in Chiang Mai versus $1,680 in Arezzo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Arezzo. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Arezzo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $938 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Arezzo?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Arezzo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Arezzo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?