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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,042 in Birkerød, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,032 in Birkerød, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,022 in Birkerød, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 54% cheaper than Birkerød, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Birkerød is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$11.38 DKK 74.1

-81.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$53.2 DKK 347

-63.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$11.97 DKK 78.0

-52.63%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.77 DKK 31.07

-62.05%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$3.73 DKK 24.31

-79.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$2.74 DKK 17.83

-87.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$6.23 DKK 40.58

-64.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.61 DKK 23.56

4.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.04 DKK 13.31

0.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$3.01 DKK 19.63

-49.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.03 DKK 13.21

-31.03%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$5.31 DKK 34.61

-57.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$8.51 DKK 55.5

90.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$7.68 DKK 50.1

-62.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$23.57 DKK 154

-60.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.31 DKK 21.56

-19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.50 DKK 16.31

-56.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$3.80 DKK 24.74

-57.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.31 DKK 15.04

-36.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.98 DKK 12.88

-35.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$2.13 DKK 13.87

-50.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.28 DKK 14.85

-68.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.10 DKK 7.19

-51.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$9.82 DKK 64.0

-56.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$11.08 DKK 72.2

65.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.82 DKK 11.85

-10.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$0.74 DKK 4.80

291.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$3.77 DKK 24.54

-76.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$95.9 DKK 625

-43.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$6.12 DKK 39.87

-80.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.75 DKK 11.38

-66.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$93.5 DKK 610

-97.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$2.47 DKK 16.11

-41.30%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$51.3K DKK 334.6K

-59.07%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$54.6K DKK 356.0K

-51.63%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$194 DKK 1,264

-67.17%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$11.99 DKK 78.2

7.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$39.77 DKK 259

-48.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$42.54 DKK 277

-8.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$22.11 DKK 144

-82.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$20.52 DKK 134

-67.93%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$978 DKK 6,377

-19.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$6,137 DKK 40.0K

139.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$110 DKK 719

-50.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$56.2 DKK 367

-56.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$134 DKK 872

-29.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$209 DKK 1,365

-64.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$911 DKK 5,938

-46.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$669 DKK 4,360

-56.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,914 DKK 12.5K

-53.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,381 DKK 8,998

-62.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$5,132 DKK 33.4K

-61.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$3,287 DKK 21.4K

-56.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.81

46.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Birkerød: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $911 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $53.0 in Birkerød. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $338 – 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: $932 in Chiang Mai, $2,042 in Birkerød – roughly 119% apart. Birkerød costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,062 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 $932 in Chiang Mai and $2,042 in Birkerød. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 78% 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 $932, than in Birkerød at $2,042. 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 $932 in Chiang Mai to $2,042 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.