Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hellerup Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hellerup

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,134 in Hellerup, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,122 in Hellerup, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $6,110 in Hellerup, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 60% cheaper than Hellerup, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Hellerup is 60% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$23.20 DKK 150

-91.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$116 DKK 752

-83.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$13.88 DKK 89.9

-43.37%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$6.70 DKK 43.36

-69.70%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$4.32 DKK 28.00

-81.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$3.14 DKK 20.36

-88.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$9.25 DKK 59.9

-76.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$7.84 DKK 50.8

-53.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.00 DKK 12.94

-13.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$3.24 DKK 21.00

-51.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.52 DKK 16.30

-52.38%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$4.84 DKK 31.37

-59.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$13.76 DKK 89.1

17.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$10.67 DKK 69.1

-71.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$16.04 DKK 104

-32.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.12 DKK 20.18

-11.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$3.31 DKK 21.42

-64.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.54 DKK 22.91

-51.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$5.65 DKK 36.58

-71.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.39 DKK 15.47

-41.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.71 DKK 11.07

-32.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.22 DKK 14.40

-70.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.01 DKK 6.52

-48.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.21 DKK 66.1

-54.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$10.12 DKK 65.6

75.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.80 DKK 11.62

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.15 DKK 13.95

55.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$3.74 DKK 24.22

-75.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$63.5 DKK 411

-70.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$7.56 DKK 48.92

-81.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.04 DKK 13.21

-34.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$60.7 DKK 393

-86.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.26 DKK 14.66

-45.58%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$49.0K DKK 317.5K

-56.28%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$48.5K DKK 313.8K

-54.97%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$203 DKK 1,316

-64.91%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$17.90 DKK 116

-21.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$41.12 DKK 266

-56.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$51.7 DKK 334

-20.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$34.59 DKK 224

-80.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$20.13 DKK 130

-71.58%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$592 DKK 3,835

-47.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$5,913 DKK 38.3K

148.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$102 DKK 663

-45.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$35.72 DKK 231

-27.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$119 DKK 768

-28.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$198 DKK 1,282

-64.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$930 DKK 6,023

-54.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$698 DKK 4,522

-65.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,560 DKK 10.1K

-48.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$2,834 DKK 18.3K

-82.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$5,045 DKK 32.7K

-61.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$3,287 DKK 21.3K

-55.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.19

19.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hellerup: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $930 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $116 in Hellerup. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $368 – 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

Hellerup costs about 150% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,201 in Hellerup. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $592 in Hellerup. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Hellerup, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Hellerup at $2,134. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hellerup it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,134 in Hellerup. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

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.