Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Durres

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,128 in Durres, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in Durres
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Durres Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Durres

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,128

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Durres actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,128 in Durres, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Durres $1,128

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,732 in Durres, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Durres $1,732

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,336 in Durres, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Durres $2,336

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Durres, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Durres are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Durres 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$10.48 ALL 849

-78.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$37.19 ALL 3,013

-48.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$10.37 ALL 840

-46.48%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$2.07 ALL 168

-19.32%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$2.12 ALL 172

-69.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$1.07 ALL 86.9

-71.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$3.06 ALL 248

-22.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$4.44 ALL 359

-17.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$2.08 ALL 168

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$1.03 ALL 83.4

39.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$2.29 ALL 185

-41.92%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$3.86 ALL 312

-40.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$12.69 ALL 1,028

29.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$7.78 ALL 631

-64.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$15.02 ALL 1,217

-38.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$1.20 ALL 97.4

95.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$2.43 ALL 197

-60.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$1.56 ALL 126

2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.32 ALL 107

13.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$0.90 ALL 73.1

42.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$0.95 ALL 77.2

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$1.22 ALL 99.1

-41.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$0.71 ALL 57.4

-30.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.43 ALL 359

-6.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$10.99 ALL 890

59.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$1.49 ALL 121

8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$2.08 ALL 169

33.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$0.48 ALL 38.50

81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$19.58 ALL 1,586

176.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$3.65 ALL 296

-68.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$2.50 ALL 202

-78.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$2.20 ALL 178

-34.09%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$16.0K ALL 1.3M

31.29%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$25.6K ALL 2.1M

5.28%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$90.2 ALL 7,310

-31.11%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$18.02 ALL 1,460

-32.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$16.33 ALL 1,323

23.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$41.02 ALL 3,323

-9.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$61.3 ALL 4,963

-93.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$7.52 ALL 610

-13.70%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$189 ALL 15.3K

289.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$4,673 ALL 378.6K

215.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$38.78 ALL 3,142

37.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$41.46 ALL 3,358

-40.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$89.1 ALL 7,216

2.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$162 ALL 13.1K

-55.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$451 ALL 36.5K

7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$321 ALL 26.0K

-3.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$703 ALL 57.0K

43.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$463 ALL 37.5K

36.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$1,993 ALL 161.5K

18.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,302 ALL 105.5K

22.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$977 ALL 79.1K

-39.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.25

6.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Durres: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Durres

$321 28.5% 3.9% $12

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Durres

$263 23.3% 12.1% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Durres

$149 13.2% 37.2% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Durres

$125 11.1% 31.9% $30

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Durres

$177 15.7% 128% $99

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Durres

$38 3.3% 38.7% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Durres

$56 5% 11.5% $5.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $451 in Durres. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 66% higher in Durres. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $37 in Durres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $263 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇱 Durres

🕒 Local time

12:27 12:27 PM

06:27 6:27 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

175,110

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 ALL = 1.23 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 81.01 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.8 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Durres 7,790 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Durres

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 Durres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durres costs about 21% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,692 in Durres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $451 in Durres. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $189 in Durres. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Durres, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,128 in Durres. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,128 in Durres. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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