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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,985 in Ballerup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $4,665 in Ballerup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $6,346 in Ballerup.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 71% less than in Ballerup, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Ballerup is 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$25.64 DKK 164

-92.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$125 DKK 795

-84.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$15.32 DKK 97.8

-48.30%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$6.90 DKK 44.05

-72.32%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$4.36 DKK 27.80

-80.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$3.23 DKK 20.60

-89.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$9.06 DKK 57.8

-75.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.94 DKK 50.6

-52.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.00 DKK 12.74

-18.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.19 DKK 20.35

-49.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.58 DKK 16.45

-54.26%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.86 DKK 30.98

-58.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$13.29 DKK 84.8

19.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$10.57 DKK 67.4

-71.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$16.01 DKK 102

-32.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.07 DKK 19.60

-14.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$3.38 DKK 21.53

-63.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.52 DKK 22.47

-51.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$5.47 DKK 34.88

-71.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.29 DKK 14.61

-42.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.73 DKK 11.04

-32.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.28 DKK 14.52

-70.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.83 DKK 5.27

-32.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$10.04 DKK 64.1

-54.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.22 DKK 65.2

78.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.81 DKK 11.53

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.07 DKK 13.23

56.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.68 DKK 23.46

-75.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$77.4 DKK 494

-74.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$7.94 DKK 50.7

-83.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.67 DKK 10.63

-19.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$62.2 DKK 397

-86.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.20 DKK 14.01

-42.27%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$48.3K DKK 308.0K

-56.18%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$47.8K DKK 305.1K

-52.97%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$203 DKK 1,294

-65.42%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$17.66 DKK 113

-22.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$41.30 DKK 264

-57.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.97 DKK 268

-0.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$29.70 DKK 190

-77.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$18.26 DKK 117

-68.35%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$596 DKK 3,804

-48.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,924 DKK 37.8K

150.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$104 DKK 666

-47.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$36.38 DKK 232

-28.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$118 DKK 755

-28.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$195 DKK 1,245

-64.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$2,329 DKK 14.9K

-81.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$1,526 DKK 9,738

-84.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$3,145 DKK 20.1K

-73.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,766 DKK 17.6K

-81.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$6,159 DKK 39.3K

-89.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ballerup: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $2,329 in Ballerup. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ballerup pays 870% 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 $125 in Ballerup for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $362 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 Ballerup: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 250% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ballerup earns 870% 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 $2,329 in Ballerup. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $596 in Ballerup. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Ballerup. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,985 in Ballerup, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Ballerup. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ballerup, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Ballerup 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 250% less than in Ballerup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.