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: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $2,273 in Ballerup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $3,590 in Ballerup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $4,908 in Ballerup.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 58% less than in Ballerup, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Ballerup is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$23.21 DKK 150

-90.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$123 DKK 790

-83.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$15.44 DKK 99.5

-62.50%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$7.42 DKK 47.81

-75.34%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$4.45 DKK 28.68

-82.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$3.66 DKK 23.61

-91.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$9.60 DKK 61.9

-75.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$7.60 DKK 48.95

-51.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.15 DKK 13.85

-5.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.99 DKK 25.74

-59.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.37 DKK 15.24

-40.08%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$5.02 DKK 32.35

-56.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$16.12 DKK 104

-1.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$11.97 DKK 77.1

-74.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$19.33 DKK 125

-48.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.26 DKK 21.04

-19.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$3.40 DKK 21.93

-67.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$3.92 DKK 25.25

-58.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$5.47 DKK 35.25

-72.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.34 DKK 15.10

-47.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.11 DKK 13.59

-46.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.20 DKK 14.18

-66.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.46 DKK 9.39

-65.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$9.91 DKK 63.9

-56.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$10.56 DKK 68.1

70.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.86 DKK 11.99

-8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.41 DKK 15.56

20.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$3.79 DKK 24.40

-75.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$98.4 DKK 634

-43.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$5.99 DKK 38.62

-79.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.74 DKK 11.21

-69.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$64.2 DKK 414

-96.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$2.58 DKK 16.65

-44.19%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$52.9K DKK 340.8K

-59.93%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$54.0K DKK 348.3K

-49.48%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$192 DKK 1,237

-66.18%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$12.24 DKK 78.9

9.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$39.14 DKK 252

-46.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$42.47 DKK 274

-4.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$25.35 DKK 163

-84.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$20.67 DKK 133

-67.54%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$751 DKK 4,838

4.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$6,235 DKK 40.2K

142.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$109 DKK 703

-48.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$49.08 DKK 316

-49.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$133 DKK 857

-30.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$196 DKK 1,260

-61.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$964 DKK 6,214

-49.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$762 DKK 4,910

-62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,712 DKK 11.0K

-46.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,299 DKK 8,372

-59.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$4,896 DKK 31.5K

-59.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$3,526 DKK 22.7K

-58.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$6,059 DKK 39.0K

-90.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.7

50.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ballerup: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $964 in Ballerup. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ballerup pays 901% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $123 in Ballerup for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $410 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 901% lower in Ballerup. 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: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $964 in Ballerup. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $751 in Ballerup. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Ballerup. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $2,273 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 139% less than in Ballerup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.