🙂A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,261 in Hellerup, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,514 in Hellerup, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,766 in Hellerup, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 59% cheaper than Hellerup, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Hellerup is 65% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Hellerup
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08฿69.5
$22.29DKK 145
-90.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.61฿655
$115DKK 747
-82.90%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.67฿189
$14.10DKK 91.9
-59.79%
Cappuccino
$1.81฿60.3
$7.01DKK 45.71
-74.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77฿25.65
$4.41DKK 28.74
-82.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.53
$3.58DKK 23.35
-90.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿73.9
$8.38DKK 54.6
-73.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79฿127
$7.62DKK 49.69
-50.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Hellerup
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.05฿68.4
$2.12DKK 13.80
-3.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.51฿50.6
$4.07DKK 26.52
-62.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40฿46.69
$2.48DKK 16.17
-43.55%
Eggs
$2.26฿75.4
$4.98DKK 32.49
-54.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.19฿540
$15.79DKK 103
2.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.90฿96.7
$11.98DKK 78.1
-75.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.42฿314
$18.80DKK 123
-49.89%
Apples(1kg)
$2.68฿89.4
$3.40DKK 22.16
-21.18%
Banana(1kg)
$1.09฿36.37
$3.41DKK 22.19
-68.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿54.0
$4.00DKK 26.06
-59.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.46฿48.74
$5.24DKK 34.14
-72.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.28฿42.65
$2.41DKK 15.72
-46.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06฿35.31
$2.10DKK 13.67
-49.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.72฿23.94
$2.18DKK 14.22
-66.97%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.56
$1.45DKK 9.45
-63.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23฿141
$9.57DKK 62.4
-55.80%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.29฿611
$10.65DKK 69.4
71.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63฿54.4
$1.86DKK 12.13
-12.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90฿96.8
$2.44DKK 15.92
18.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Hellerup
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿29.32
$3.91DKK 25.48
-77.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.8฿1,795
$106DKK 689
-49.12%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.17฿39.14
$6.11DKK 39.85
-80.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58฿19.30
$1.66DKK 10.83
-65.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.39฿79.6
$64.9DKK 423
-96.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.45฿48.41
$2.55DKK 16.59
-43.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K฿701.4K
$52.0KDKK 339.0K
-59.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K฿882.0K
$55.4KDKK 361.0K
-52.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Hellerup
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.7฿2,125
$192DKK 1,251
-66.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.89฿430
$12.02DKK 78.4
7.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.52฿685
$38.96DKK 254
-47.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Hellerup
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.02฿1,302
$41.75DKK 272
-6.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.92฿131
$25.79DKK 168
-84.80%
Cinema Ticket
$6.58฿220
$20.29DKK 132
-67.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Hellerup
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$784฿26.2K
$761DKK 4,962
2.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.7K฿489.8K
$6,179DKK 40.3K
137.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Hellerup
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1฿1,840
$109DKK 713
-49.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.74฿826
$47.54DKK 310
-47.96%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.1฿3,142
$131DKK 853
-28.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.0฿2,469
$196DKK 1,276
-62.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Hellerup
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$490฿16.4K
$963DKK 6,276
-49.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$288฿9,620
$767DKK 4,999
-62.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891฿29.8K
$1,752DKK 11.4K
-49.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$521฿17.4K
$1,296DKK 8,445
-59.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,974฿65.9K
$5,475DKK 35.7K
-63.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,444฿48.2K
$3,926DKK 25.6K
-63.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Hellerup
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$602฿20.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.67
51.77%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026
Last update for Hellerup: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $963 in Hellerup. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $115 in Hellerup. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $408 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Hellerup: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Hellerup?
Hellerup costs about 143% 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 and in Hellerup?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,391 in Hellerup. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Hellerup?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Hellerup?
Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $761 in Hellerup. 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 Hellerup?
Groceries cost about 69% more in Hellerup, 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 in Hellerup?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Hellerup at $2,261. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hellerup it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Hellerup?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,261 in Hellerup. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Hellerup?
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 to Hellerup?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hellerup makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared