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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,914 in Birkerød, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,865 in Birkerød, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,815 in Birkerød, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 55% cheaper than Birkerød, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Birkerød is 43% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$11.43 DKK 72.9

-82.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$52.9 DKK 338

-64.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$11.73 DKK 74.9

-32.48%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.59 DKK 29.30

-58.39%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$3.75 DKK 23.94

-77.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.76 DKK 17.59

-87.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$6.27 DKK 39.97

-64.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.79 DKK 24.21

0.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.98 DKK 12.61

-17.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.16 DKK 20.17

-48.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.98 DKK 12.61

-40.40%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$5.31 DKK 33.85

-62.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.65 DKK 55.2

83.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$7.77 DKK 49.59

-61.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$13.97 DKK 89.1

-22.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.31 DKK 21.10

-21.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.54 DKK 16.22

-51.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.69 DKK 23.57

-53.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.34 DKK 14.95

-32.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.98 DKK 12.65

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.21 DKK 14.10

-47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.22 DKK 14.19

-69.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.11 DKK 7.05

-49.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$9.90 DKK 63.2

-54.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$11.70 DKK 74.6

55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.78 DKK 11.37

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$0.76 DKK 4.85

325.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.66 DKK 23.33

-75.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$77.7 DKK 496

-75.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$7.64 DKK 48.76

-82.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.63 DKK 10.41

-17.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$108 DKK 687

-92.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.23 DKK 14.20

-43.05%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$50.3K DKK 321.0K

-57.95%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$50.8K DKK 324.4K

-55.77%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$200 DKK 1,274

-64.87%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$17.22 DKK 110

-20.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$41.21 DKK 263

-57.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.83 DKK 267

-0.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$29.90 DKK 191

-77.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$20.29 DKK 129

-71.51%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$606 DKK 3,868

-49.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,829 DKK 37.2K

154.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$125 DKK 800

-56.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$54.2 DKK 346

-51.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$141 DKK 900

-40.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$199 DKK 1,271

-65.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$917 DKK 5,852

-53.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$696 DKK 4,440

-65.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,572 DKK 10.0K

-47.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,208 DKK 7,709

-57.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,652 DKK 29.7K

-55.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$3,184 DKK 20.3K

-52.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.19

19.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Birkerød: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $917 in Birkerød. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $53.0 in Birkerød. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $312 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Birkerød: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai, $1,914 in Birkerød – roughly 125% apart. Birkerød costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,871 in Birkerød. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,914 in Birkerød. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 301% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Birkerød at $1,914. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Birkerød it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $852 in Chiang Mai to $1,914 in Birkerød. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Birkerød makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.