Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ferrol

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,394 in Ferrol, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Ferrol, Spain
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Ferrol
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,394
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,394 in Ferrol, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Ferrol $1,394

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,092 in Ferrol, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Ferrol $2,092

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,791 in Ferrol, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Ferrol $2,791

Chiang Mai is about 33% cheaper than Ferrol, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Ferrol is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Ferrol
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.2
$16.89 €15.05
-87.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿622
$44.44 €39.59
-58.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿187
$14.54 €12.95
-61.49%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.5
$1.72 €1.53
-3.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.59
$2.86 €2.55
-77.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.18
$2.20 €1.96
-86.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿77.5
$2.88 €2.56
-19.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿122
$2.83 €2.52
29.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Ferrol
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿67.3
$1.07 €0.96
88.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.00
$1.19 €1.06
18.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.46
$2.26 €2.01
-38.50%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.0
$4.02 €3.58
-41.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿551
$11.16 €9.94
48.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿89.1
$9.12 €8.13
-70.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿301
$10.99 €9.79
-17.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.1
$2.30 €2.05
4.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.76
$1.64 €1.46
-36.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿55.4
$2.21 €1.97
-24.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.0
$2.22 €1.97
-29.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.31
$1.66 €1.48
-25.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.27
$1.14 €1.01
-4.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.43
$1.72 €1.53
-55.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.16
$0.59 €0.52
-13.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿138
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿598
$4.52 €4.02
296.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.2
$1.09 €0.97
48.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿94.2
$1.70 €1.52
65.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Ferrol
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.19
$1.42 €1.26
-34.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,766
$25.37 €22.60
108.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.28
$4.79 €4.27
-75.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.72
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿60.5
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.16
$1.80 €1.60
-18.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿701.4K
$32.9K €29.3K
-36.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿885.1K
$30.6K €27.2K
-13.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Ferrol
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,088
$94.4 €84.1
-33.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿387
$22.24 €19.81
-47.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿678
$44.45 €39.59
-54.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Ferrol
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,264
$39.43 €35.13
-3.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿123
$8.74 €7.79
-57.67%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿217
$8.87 €7.90
-26.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Ferrol
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.3K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿553.2K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Ferrol
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,787
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿828
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,017
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,402
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Ferrol
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.1K
$881 €785
-45.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.3K
$660 €588
-53.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.3K
$1,569 €1,398
-32.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.0K
$1,137 €1,012
-42.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿80.7K
$1,663 €1,482
45.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿53.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Ferrol
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
$1,596 €1,422
-62.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.5
59.14%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Ferrol: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Ferrol
$660 113% $350
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Ferrol
$240 1.5% $3.5
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Ferrol
- * 100%
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Ferrol
$161 70.5% $67
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Ferrol
$240 213% $163
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Ferrol
$36 * 38.9% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Ferrol
$57 12.3% $6.3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $881 in Ferrol. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Ferrol are about 2.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $44 in Ferrol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇪🇸 Ferrol
🕒 Local time
16:08 4:08 PM
10:08 10:08 AM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
63,890
💱 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 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.49 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Ferrol 9,890 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Ferrol

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 Ferrol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Ferrol?
Ferrol costs about 49% 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 Ferrol?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,091 in Ferrol. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Ferrol?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $881 in Ferrol.
How much does it cost to live in Chiang Mai compared to Ferrol?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,394 in Ferrol. That makes Chiang Mai about 33% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Chiang Mai compared to Ferrol?
Public transport costs about 52% less in Ferrol. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Ferrol?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,394 in Ferrol. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Chiang Mai or Ferrol?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,394 in Ferrol. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Ferrol?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Ferrol?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ferrol makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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