๐A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,792 in Brรธndby, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,997 in Brรธndby, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,201 in Brรธndby, rent included.
๐Chiang Mai is about 69% cheaper than Brรธndby, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Brรธndby is 108% above โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Brรธndby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.98เธฟ64.3
$23.64DKKย 152
-91.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.80เธฟ612
$115DKKย 741
-83.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.75เธฟ252
$13.81DKKย 88.9
-43.88%
Cappuccino
$1.92เธฟ62.5
$6.92DKKย 44.59
-72.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79เธฟ25.79
$4.34DKKย 27.98
-81.80%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36เธฟ11.62
$3.14DKKย 20.22
-88.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21เธฟ72.1
$9.21DKKย 59.3
-76.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66เธฟ119
$7.78DKKย 50.1
-52.96%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Brรธndby
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65เธฟ53.8
$2.02DKKย 13.02
-18.32%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63เธฟ53.2
$3.16DKKย 20.38
-48.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19เธฟ38.86
$3.33DKKย 21.44
-64.26%
Eggs
$2.00เธฟ65.1
$4.80DKKย 30.94
-58.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.98เธฟ520
$14.13DKKย 91.0
13.09%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.03เธฟ98.5
$10.68DKKย 68.8
-71.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86เธฟ354
$15.71DKKย 101
-30.87%
Apples(1kg)
$2.76เธฟ90.0
$3.33DKKย 21.42
-17.12%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18เธฟ38.42
$3.63DKKย 23.38
-67.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.64เธฟ53.5
$3.68DKKย 23.68
-55.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.52เธฟ49.51
$5.47DKKย 35.23
-72.21%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38เธฟ45.10
$2.63DKKย 16.95
-47.53%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19เธฟ38.84
$2.17DKKย 13.97
-45.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70เธฟ22.86
$2.24DKKย 14.42
-68.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56เธฟ18.13
$1.70DKKย 10.93
-67.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.58เธฟ149
$9.90DKKย 63.8
-53.74%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.56เธฟ539
$10.28DKKย 66.2
61.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83เธฟ59.5
$1.96DKKย 12.66
-6.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20เธฟ104
$2.05DKKย 13.18
56.10%
๐ Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Brรธndby
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88เธฟ28.56
$3.65DKKย 23.51
-75.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.72เธฟ610
$77.9DKKย 502
-75.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36เธฟ44.16
$7.92DKKย 51.0
-82.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34เธฟ43.65
$1.70DKKย 10.92
-21.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84เธฟ256
$62.5DKKย 402
-87.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23เธฟ39.92
$2.21DKKย 14.20
-44.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6Kเธฟ704.3K
$49.8KDKKย 321.1K
-56.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5Kเธฟ734.3K
$49.2KDKKย 317.1K
-54.20%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Brรธndby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.5เธฟ2,298
$199DKKย 1,281
-64.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.68เธฟ445
$20.21DKKย 130
-32.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.45เธฟ568
$42.30DKKย 272
-58.75%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Brรธndby
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.33เธฟ1,346
$41.22DKKย 266
0.27%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96เธฟ227
$30.30DKKย 195
-77.03%
Cinema Ticket
$5.77เธฟ188
$18.48DKKย 119
-68.78%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Brรธndby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$307เธฟ10.0K
$633DKKย 4,077
-51.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.6Kเธฟ475.9K
$6,155DKKย 39.6K
137.37%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Brรธndby
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8เธฟ1,817
$104DKKย 669
-46.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.21เธฟ854
$35.29DKKย 227
-25.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.8เธฟ2,793
$122DKKย 787
-29.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2เธฟ2,353
$193DKKย 1,240
-62.48%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Brรธndby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$430เธฟ14.0K
$915DKKย 5,890
-53.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$239เธฟ7,774
$1,338DKKย 8,618
-82.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$817เธฟ26.6K
$1,517DKKย 9,770
-46.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$511เธฟ16.6K
$1,802DKKย 11.6K
-71.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,983เธฟ64.6K
$4,790DKKย 30.9K
-58.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,484เธฟ48.3K
$3,408DKKย 21.9K
-56.46%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Brรธndby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$619เธฟ20.2K
$3,564DKKย 23.0K
-82.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
4.19
19.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026
Last update for Brรธndby: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $915 in Brรธndby. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐ฐSalaries run about 476% higher in Brรธndby, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $115 in Brรธndby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $384 โ 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 Brรธndby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chiang Mai and Brรธndby compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai, $2,792 in Brรธndby โ roughly 221% apart. Brรธndby costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Chiang Mai compared to Brรธndby?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,189 in Brรธndby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chiang Mai and Brรธndby?
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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 59% more in Brรธndby, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $115 in Brรธndby. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Brรธndby at $2,792. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brรธndby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Chiang Mai and Brรธndby?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $869 in Chiang Mai to $2,792 in Brรธndby. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Chiang Mai or Brรธndby safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Chiang Mai and Brรธndby?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brรธndby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared