Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Culemborg

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $3,234 in Culemborg, rent and utilities included – about $27,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Culemborg, Netherlands
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Culemborg
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$3,234
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Culemborg

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Culemborg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,234 in Culemborg, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Culemborg $3,234

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,960 in Culemborg, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Culemborg $3,960

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,687 in Culemborg, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Culemborg $4,687

Chiang Mai is about 71% cheaper than Culemborg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Culemborg is 139% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Culemborg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.8
$16.98 €15.09
-87.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿626
$74.0 €65.7
-74.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿188
$16.54 €14.70
-66.14%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.9
$4.79 €4.26
-65.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.75
$3.28 €2.91
-80.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.25
$2.83 €2.51
-89.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿78.1
$6.88 €6.11
-66.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿123
$5.51 €4.89
-33.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Culemborg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿67.8
$1.48 €1.32
36.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.34
$2.43 €2.16
-41.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.79
$2.56 €2.27
-45.70%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.6
$4.87 €4.32
-51.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿555
$13.38 €11.88
23.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿89.8
$14.26 €12.66
-81.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿303
$15.95 €14.17
-43.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.6
$2.78 €2.47
-13.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿35.01
$2.38 €2.12
-56.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿55.8
$1.82 €1.62
-8.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.4
$3.76 €3.34
-58.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.61
$1.86 €1.65
-33.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.53
$1.87 €1.66
-41.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.61
$1.29 €1.15
-41.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.29
$0.90 €0.80
-43.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿139
$14.59 €12.96
-71.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿603
$6.52 €5.79
175.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.6
$1.27 €1.13
27.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿94.9
$2.72 €2.41
3.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Culemborg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.42
$3.58 €3.18
-74.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,778
$88.4 €78.5
-40.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.56
$3.86 €3.43
-69.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.76
$2.74 €2.43
-93.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿60.9
$45.29 €40.23
-96.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.51
$2.49 €2.21
-40.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿706.4K
$40.6K €36.0K
-48.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿891.4K
$39.0K €34.6K
-31.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Culemborg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,103
$239 €212
-73.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿390
$23.09 €20.51
-49.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿683
$56.1 €49.79
-63.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Culemborg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,274
$40.73 €36.18
-7.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿124
$23.59 €20.95
-84.32%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿219
$14.29 €12.70
-54.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Culemborg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.4K
$3,008 €2,672
-75.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿557.2K
$5,994 €5,325
176.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Culemborg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,800
$94.5 €84.0
-43.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿834
$51.5 €45.76
-51.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,039
$88.5 €78.6
2.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,420
$98.2 €87.3
-26.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Culemborg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.2K
$1,418 €1,260
-66.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.4K
$1,931 €1,715
-83.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.6K
$2,355 €2,092
-55.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.1K
$1,826 €1,622
-63.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿81.3K
$5,798 €5,150
-58.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿54.1K
$4,522 €4,017
-64.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Culemborg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿20.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.23
72.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Culemborg: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Culemborg
$1.9K 523% $1.6K
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Culemborg
$333 40.5% $96
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Culemborg
$150 38.2% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Culemborg
$318 237% $224
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Culemborg
$313 309% $236
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Culemborg
$120 105% $62
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Culemborg
$69 36.2% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $1,418 in Culemborg. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $74 in Culemborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $333 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇳🇱 Culemborg
🕒 Local time
03:56 3:56 AM
21:56 9:56 PM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
28,955
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Culemborg 8,620 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Culemborg

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Culemborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Culemborg?
Culemborg costs about 246% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Culemborg?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,851 in Culemborg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Culemborg?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $1,418 in Culemborg.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Culemborg?
Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,008 in Culemborg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Culemborg?
Groceries cost about 41% more in Culemborg, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Culemborg?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $3,234 in Culemborg. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Culemborg?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 71% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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