Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Genoa

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,775 in Genoa, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Genoa, Italy
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Genoa
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,775
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,775 in Genoa, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Genoa $1,775

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,716 in Genoa, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Genoa $2,716

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,658 in Genoa, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Genoa $3,658

Chiang Mai is about 47% cheaper than Genoa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Genoa is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Genoa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$16.81 €15.06
-86.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$85.4 €76.6
-77.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$13.35 €11.97
-58.43%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$2.01 €1.80
-16.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.55
$2.97 €2.66
-78.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.31
$1.49 €1.34
-79.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$6.83 €6.12
-65.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$5.44 €4.88
-32.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Genoa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$1.85 €1.66
5.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.48
$2.39 €2.14
-39.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.04
$3.22 €2.89
-58.70%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$4.79 €4.29
-52.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$18.04 €16.16
-8.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$12.70 €11.38
-78.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$20.57 €18.44
-54.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$2.75 €2.47
-14.55%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.80
$2.15 €1.92
-54.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$2.83 €2.53
-43.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$3.34 €2.99
-55.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.12
$2.15 €1.92
-40.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.19
$1.87 €1.68
-41.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.82
$1.63 €1.46
-56.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.37
$0.53 €0.47
-7.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$7.16 €6.41
-42.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
$7.66 €6.87
128.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$2.33 €2.09
-30.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$2.88 €2.58
-3.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Genoa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.31
$2.19 €1.96
-60.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,826
$54.0 €48.42
0.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.06
$6.63 €5.94
-82.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.80
$1.31 €1.18
-59.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$33.30 €29.84
-92.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.90
$2.09 €1.87
-30.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.7K
$35.6K €31.9K
-40.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.3K
$37.0K €33.2K
-27.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Genoa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,098
$243 €218
-74.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$10.28 €9.21
18.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$31.56 €28.28
-36.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Genoa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
$49.23 €44.11
-24.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$15.35 €13.75
-75.44%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$8.72 €7.81
-25.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Genoa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$364 €327
101.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.3K
$12.4K €11.1K
19.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Genoa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,801
$72.6 €65.1
-26.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$37.83 €33.90
-34.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,087
$90.9 €81.4
0.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,428
$122 €109
-41.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Genoa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$825 €740
-41.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$576 €516
-46.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$1,399 €1,254
-28.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$926 €830
-31.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$3,700 €3,316
-36.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$1,360 €1,218
16.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Genoa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$2,067 €1,852
-71.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.38
64.79%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Genoa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Genoa
$576 86.4% $267
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Genoa
$364 55.4% $130
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Genoa
$146 33.9% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Genoa
$285 202% $190
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Genoa
$262 237% $184
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Genoa
$76 23.9% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Genoa
$67 32.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $825 in Genoa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Genoa are about 3.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $85 in Genoa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $364 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇹 Genoa
🕒 Local time
15:04 3:04 PM
09:04 9:04 AM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
586,655
💱 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 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Genoa 8,560 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Genoa

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 Genoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Genoa?
Genoa costs about 90% 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 Genoa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,662 in Genoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Genoa?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $825 in Genoa.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Genoa?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $85 in Genoa. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Genoa?
Groceries cost about 55% more in Genoa, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Genoa?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,775 in Genoa. 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 Genoa?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,775 in Genoa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Genoa?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Genoa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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