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 $1,919 in Birkerød, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,925 in Birkerød, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,932 in Birkerød, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 56% cheaper than Birkerød, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Birkerød is 44% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$11.81 DKK 76.5

-82.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$53.1 DKK 344

-64.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$11.74 DKK 76.0

-33.05%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.63 DKK 29.98

-56.16%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$3.81 DKK 24.70

-79.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.71 DKK 17.53

-87.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$6.28 DKK 40.63

-65.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.62 DKK 23.45

1.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.99 DKK 12.85

-13.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$3.15 DKK 20.37

-50.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.00 DKK 12.96

-40.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$5.49 DKK 35.54

-64.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.89 DKK 57.6

82.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.39 DKK 47.82

-58.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$13.80 DKK 89.4

-21.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.28 DKK 21.24

-15.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.51 DKK 16.26

-53.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.73 DKK 24.14

-54.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.29 DKK 14.82

-30.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.06 DKK 13.37

-32.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.22 DKK 14.36

-47.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.27 DKK 14.69

-70.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.10 DKK 7.10

-52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.15 DKK 65.7

-54.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$11.35 DKK 73.5

56.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.77 DKK 11.46

1.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$0.80 DKK 5.19

317.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$3.78 DKK 24.50

-75.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$78.2 DKK 506

-76.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$7.84 DKK 50.8

-82.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.65 DKK 10.66

-18.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$107 DKK 693

-92.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.23 DKK 14.43

-44.84%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$50.8K DKK 329.0K

-57.81%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$52.1K DKK 337.3K

-58.11%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$201 DKK 1,300

-64.46%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$17.35 DKK 112

-19.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$41.61 DKK 269

-56.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$41.13 DKK 266

-0.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$29.60 DKK 192

-76.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$19.91 DKK 129

-71.27%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$595 DKK 3,855

-48.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$5,786 DKK 37.5K

153.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$126 DKK 816

-55.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$52.5 DKK 340

-50.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$143 DKK 928

-40.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$195 DKK 1,263

-63.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$931 DKK 6,029

-54.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$711 DKK 4,605

-65.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,548 DKK 10.0K

-48.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,179 DKK 7,631

-57.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$5,352 DKK 34.7K

-64.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$4,058 DKK 26.3K

-63.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Birkerød: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $931 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: $244 vs $310 – 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, $1,919 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,878 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 $1,919 in Birkerød. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 319% 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 $1,919. 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 $1,919 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.