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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,503 in Biella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $2,324 in Biella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $3,146 in Biella.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 38% less than in Biella, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Biella is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$17.66 €15.38

-88.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$68.3 €59.5

-71.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$11.19 €9.75

-49.33%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$1.89 €1.65

-4.23%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$3.11 €2.71

-75.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$1.39 €1.21

-74.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$5.14 €4.48

-57.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.64 €4.04

-18.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.27 €1.11

61.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$2.29 €2.00

-34.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$3.06 €2.66

-54.25%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.90 €3.40

-42.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$14.63 €12.75

10.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$9.51 €8.28

-69.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$21.76 €18.96

-56.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.17 €2.76

-15.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.25 €1.96

-51.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.97 €1.72

-17.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$4.87 €4.25

-70.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.93 €1.68

-33.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.86 €1.62

-43.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.55 €1.35

-53.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.37 €0.32

43.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.03 €6.13

-39.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$7.13 €6.21

156.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.07 €1.80

-21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.65 €2.31

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$2.01 €1.75

-56.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$38.32 €33.39

40.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$14.98 €13.05

-92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.70 €1.48

-65.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$29.80 €25.96

-91.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$2.02 €1.76

-28.22%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$37.8K €32.9K

-44.37%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$35.8K €31.2K

-26.18%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$200 €174

-68.16%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.29 €7.22

55.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$28.30 €24.66

-27.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$69.9 €60.9

-44.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$25.22 €21.97

-84.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$9.02 €7.86

-27.05%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$721 €628

8.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$10.5K €9,122

40.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$87.8 €76.5

-37.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$42.66 €37.17

-42.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$86.7 €75.5

8.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$113 €98.6

-34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$426 €371

15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$373 €325

-22.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$707 €616

26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$578 €504

-9.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$1,707 €1,487

15.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$898 €783

60.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,926 €1,678

-68.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.4

63.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Biella: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $426 in Biella. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Biella pays 220% 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 $68.0 in Biella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $332 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 Biella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Biella differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $1,503 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 220% lower in Biella. 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $426 in Biella. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $721 in Biella. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Biella. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,503 in Biella, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Biella. 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 Biella 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 61% less than in Biella. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.