đMonthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,278 in Assens.
đEstimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $3,500 in Assens.
đMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $4,722 in Assens.
đLiving in Chiang Mai costs roughly 63% less than in Assens, driven mainly by Eating Out.
đThe two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Assens is 70% above.
Currency
đ˝ Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$25.98DKKÂ 166
-92.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$110DKKÂ 703
-82.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$15.25DKKÂ 97.3
-48.07%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$6.06DKKÂ 38.67
-68.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$3.88DKKÂ 24.78
-78.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$2.98DKKÂ 18.99
-88.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$7.28DKKÂ 46.44
-69.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$6.06DKKÂ 38.63
-37.29%
đ Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$2.08DKKÂ 13.25
-21.15%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$4.32DKKÂ 27.53
-62.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$2.70DKKÂ 17.20
-56.30%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$4.88DKKÂ 31.16
-58.81%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$19.43DKKÂ 124
-18.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$9.75DKKÂ 62.2
-69.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$23.64DKKÂ 151
-54.44%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$2.98DKKÂ 19.04
-12.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$3.58DKKÂ 22.87
-65.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$4.86DKKÂ 31.03
-65.02%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$3.51DKKÂ 22.36
-54.99%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$2.26DKKÂ 14.39
-41.59%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$1.69DKKÂ 10.76
-30.77%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$2.11DKKÂ 13.43
-68.25%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$1.64DKKÂ 10.46
-65.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$9.99DKKÂ 63.7
-54.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$11.66DKKÂ 74.4
56.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$2.73DKKÂ 17.40
-32.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$3.95DKKÂ 25.20
-18.23%
đ Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$3.73DKKÂ 23.81
-76.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
$78.4DKKÂ 500
-75.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$9.27DKKÂ 59.2
-85.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$2.06DKKÂ 13.12
-34.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$66.2DKKÂ 423
-87.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$2.15DKKÂ 13.69
-40.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$47.1KDKKÂ 300.2K
-55.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$55.2KDKKÂ 352.4K
-59.29%
đ§ž Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$305DKKÂ 1,949
-77.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$21.43DKKÂ 137
-35.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$49.23DKKÂ 314
-64.25%
đ Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$41.57DKKÂ 265
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
$29.36DKKÂ 187
-77.52%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$23.23DKKÂ 148
-75.12%
𧸠Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$495DKKÂ 3,157
-38.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$4,698DKKÂ 30.0K
215.57%
đđ Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$91.7DKKÂ 585
-40.68%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$39.10DKKÂ 249
-33.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$119DKKÂ 761
-29.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$172DKKÂ 1,100
-59.73%
đ Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$908DKKÂ 5,793
-53.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$712DKKÂ 4,542
-66.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$1,532DKKÂ 9,775
-46.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$1,169DKKÂ 7,460
-55.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
$4,684DKKÂ 29.9K
-56.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
$3,720DKKÂ 23.7K
-59.06%
đľ Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Assens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
4.62
8.23%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Last update for Assens: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
đ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $908 in Assens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
đDining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $110 in Assens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $429 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 167% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $2,278 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable â 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 $1,278 in Chiang Mai and $3,416 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $908 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 â a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $110 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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $2,278 in Assens â a 167% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,278 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 â 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 â expenses run 167% 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