🙂A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,637 in Hella, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,843 in Hella, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,048 in Hella, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 48% cheaper than Hella, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Hella is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Hella
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$27.19ISK 3,329
-92.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$147ISK 17.9K
-87.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$22.26ISK 2,726
-64.42%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$6.27ISK 768
-69.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$3.29ISK 402
-74.47%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$2.50ISK 306
-86.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$12.92ISK 1,582
-82.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$11.32ISK 1,386
-66.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Hella
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$1.93ISK 237
-15.03%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$4.36ISK 534
-62.84%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$3.61ISK 442
-67.31%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$6.31ISK 773
-68.15%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$17.91ISK 2,193
-11.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$23.63ISK 2,893
-87.26%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$42.77ISK 5,237
-74.82%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$3.24ISK 396
-19.44%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$2.42ISK 296
-49.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$3.11ISK 381
-45.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$4.87ISK 596
-67.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$3.64ISK 446
-63.74%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$2.39ISK 293
-51.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$3.07ISK 376
-78.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$1.93ISK 236
-70.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$13.41ISK 1,642
-66.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$23.12ISK 2,831
-21.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$3.64ISK 445
-49.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$3.34ISK 409
-3.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Hella
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$6.51ISK 798
-79.26%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$2.52ISK 308
-46.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$86.3ISK 10.6K
-90.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$2.57ISK 314
-50.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$48.2KISK 5.9M
-56.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$52.7KISK 6.5M
-57.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Hella
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$89.3ISK 10.9K
-21.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$27.34ISK 3,347
-49.63%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$87.0ISK 10.6K
-79.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Hella
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$17.63ISK 2,159
-67.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Hella
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$318ISK 38.9K
-3.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$30.6KISK 3.7M
-51.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Hella
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$141ISK 17.3K
-61.49%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$60.6ISK 7,420
-56.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$182ISK 22.3K
-53.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$262ISK 32.1K
-73.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Hella
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Hella
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
9.63
-48.08%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Hella: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $147 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $593 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs Hella: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Hella?
Hella costs about 92% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 vs Hella?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,456 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai vs Hella?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $147 in Hella. 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 Hella?
Groceries cost about 144% more in Hella, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Hella?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Hella at $1,637. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hella it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Hella?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,637 in Hella. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Hella?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Hella?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hella makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado