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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,528 in Balbriggan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $3,767 in Balbriggan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $5,005 in Balbriggan.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 66% less than in Balbriggan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Balbriggan is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$23.28 €19.93

-91.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$105 €90.1

-82.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$12.56 €10.75

-36.94%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.60 €3.93

-58.48%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.46 €2.11

-65.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.22 €1.90

-84.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$8.25 €7.06

-73.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$6.98 €5.98

-45.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.66 €1.42

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.12 €1.82

-23.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.09 €1.79

-43.54%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.25 €2.78

-38.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.15 €9.54

42.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$11.56 €9.89

-73.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$14.35 €12.29

-24.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.19 €2.73

-18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.13 €1.82

-42.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.96 €2.53

-42.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$5.48 €4.69

-71.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.21 €1.90

-40.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.77 €1.51

-33.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.31 €1.12

-48.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$2.02 €1.73

-72.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$20.58 €17.62

-77.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$13.98 €11.97

30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.95 €2.52

-37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.56 €2.19

26.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$2.49 €2.13

-64.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$100 €85.7

-80.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$5.20 €4.45

-74.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.06 €1.76

-34.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$38.29 €32.78

-78.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.98 €1.70

-35.86%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$43.0K €36.8K

-50.80%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$40.9K €35.0K

-45.08%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$177 €151

-60.34%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$17.24 €14.76

-20.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$46.73 €40.00

-62.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$54.2 €46.43

-23.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$13.94 €11.94

-58.54%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$1,361 €1,165

-77.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$9,730 €8,329

52.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$104 €89.1

-47.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$29.21 €25.00

-10.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$63.7 €54.5

32.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$130 €111

-46.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,469 €1,257

-71.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$1,259 €1,078

-81.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$2,380 €2,037

-65.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,972 €1,688

-73.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,621 €3,956

-55.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$2,438 €2,087

-73.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

23.76%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Balbriggan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $1,469 in Balbriggan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balbriggan pays 284% 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 $105 in Balbriggan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $349 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 Balbriggan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Balbriggan differ by about 197% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $2,528 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Balbriggan earns 284% less. 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,469 in Balbriggan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Balbriggan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $105 in Balbriggan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,528 in Balbriggan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Balbriggan. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Balbriggan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Balbriggan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.