🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $2,275 in Assens.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $3,533 in Assens.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $4,791 in Assens.
🙂Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 62% less than in Assens, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Assens is 69% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.98฿64.3
$25.46DKK 164
-92.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.80฿612
$109DKK 699
-82.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.75฿252
$15.23DKK 98.1
-49.11%
Cappuccino
$1.92฿62.5
$6.20DKK 39.91
-69.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79฿25.79
$3.83DKK 24.69
-79.37%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.62
$2.96DKK 19.09
-87.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$7.29DKK 46.96
-69.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$6.10DKK 39.26
-40.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65฿53.8
$2.15DKK 13.82
-23.26%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.2
$4.54DKK 29.23
-64.10%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19฿38.86
$2.67DKK 17.21
-55.43%
Eggs
$2.00฿65.1
$5.01DKK 32.27
-60.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.98฿520
$19.53DKK 126
-18.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.03฿98.5
$9.37DKK 60.3
-67.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86฿354
$23.44DKK 151
-53.67%
Apples(1kg)
$2.76฿90.0
$2.90DKK 18.66
-4.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18฿38.42
$3.46DKK 22.29
-65.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.64฿53.5
$4.61DKK 29.66
-64.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.52฿49.51
$3.42DKK 22.01
-55.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38฿45.10
$2.25DKK 14.51
-38.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19฿38.84
$1.75DKK 11.29
-32.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70฿22.86
$2.11DKK 13.58
-66.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.13
$1.65DKK 10.60
-66.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.58฿149
$9.56DKK 61.6
-52.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.56฿539
$10.87DKK 70.0
52.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿59.5
$2.79DKK 17.99
-34.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20฿104
$3.98DKK 25.63
-19.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿28.56
$3.67DKK 23.62
-76.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.72฿610
$76.4DKK 492
-75.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36฿44.16
$9.55DKK 61.5
-85.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34฿43.65
$2.13DKK 13.74
-37.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿256
$66.9DKK 431
-88.29%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23฿39.92
$2.22DKK 14.30
-44.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K฿704.3K
$46.1KDKK 297.2K
-53.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿734.3K
$54.0KDKK 347.8K
-58.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.5฿2,298
$309DKK 1,989
-77.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.68฿445
$20.83DKK 134
-34.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.45฿568
$49.56DKK 319
-64.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.33฿1,346
$42.10DKK 271
-1.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿227
$29.56DKK 190
-76.45%
Cinema Ticket
$5.77฿188
$23.41DKK 151
-75.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$307฿10.0K
$483DKK 3,112
-36.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.6K฿475.9K
$4,726DKK 30.4K
209.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8฿1,817
$91.9DKK 592
-39.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.21฿854
$39.38DKK 254
-33.44%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.8฿2,793
$119DKK 764
-27.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2฿2,353
$169DKK 1,088
-57.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$430฿14.0K
$929DKK 5,982
-53.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$239฿7,774
$705DKK 4,542
-66.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$817฿26.6K
$1,531DKK 9,863
-46.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$511฿16.6K
$1,207DKK 7,777
-57.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,983฿64.6K
$4,492DKK 28.9K
-55.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,484฿48.3K
$3,689DKK 23.8K
-59.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$619฿20.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
4.62
8.23%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026
Last update for Assens: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $929 in Assens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $109 in Assens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $426 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.
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 Assens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Chiang Mai and Assens?
Chiang Mai and Assens differ by about 162% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $2,275 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Chiang Mai compared to Assens?
You'd need roughly $1,303 in Chiang Mai and $3,413 in Assens to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Chiang Mai and Assens?
Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $929 in Assens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $109 in Assens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Chiang Mai or Assens?
All in, you'll spend $869 per month in Chiang Mai versus $2,275 in Assens – a 162% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $2,275 in Assens, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Assens. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Chiang Mai and Assens?
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.
Is Chiang Mai or Assens safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Assens are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Chiang Mai or Assens?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 162% less than in Assens. 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