Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kirkjubaejarklaustur

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,717 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. The total is higher in Kirkjubaejarklaustur despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
82

Cost of Living Index in Kirkjubaejarklaustur
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Kirkjubaejarklaustur Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Kirkjubaejarklaustur

🇮🇸 Iceland

$1,717

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,717 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Kirkjubaejarklaustur $1,717

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,922 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Kirkjubaejarklaustur $2,922

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,127 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Kirkjubaejarklaustur $4,127

Chiang Mai is about 46% cheaper than Kirkjubaejarklaustur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Kirkjubaejarklaustur is 27% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$30.77 ISK 3,739

-93.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$124 ISK 15.0K

-84.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$27.09 ISK 3,291

-79.33%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$6.62 ISK 804

-74.92%

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

$0.65 ฿21.82

$3.40 ISK 413

-80.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$3.18 ISK 387

-90.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

$14.10 ISK 1,714

-83.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$12.08 ISK 1,467

-69.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$2.08 ISK 253

-2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$4.24 ISK 516

-66.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.94

$3.72 ISK 452

-62.63%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$7.03 ISK 854

-66.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$22.26 ISK 2,705

-25.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$23.92 ISK 2,906

-88.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$41.51 ISK 5,044

-78.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$3.40 ISK 413

-29.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

$2.73 ISK 332

-61.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$3.17 ISK 385

-47.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$6.32 ISK 768

-75.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

$3.83 ISK 465

-67.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

$1.69 ISK 205

-35.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$3.65 ISK 443

-79.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

$1.80 ISK 219

-71.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$13.77 ISK 1,673

-70.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$24.12 ISK 2,930

-25.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$3.64 ISK 443

-55.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$3.33 ISK 404

-15.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$6.86 ISK 834

-82.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$2.84 ISK 345

-94.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$80.3 ISK 9,759

-97.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

$2.08 ISK 253

-29.33%

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

$69.9K ISK 8.5M

-69.92%

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

$55.2K ISK 6.7M

-51.97%

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

$96.0 ISK 11.7K

-34.84%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$32.99 ISK 4,009

-64.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$87.6 ISK 10.6K

-76.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$19.60 ISK 2,381

-66.79%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$1,177 ISK 143.0K

-38.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

$25.7K ISK 3.1M

-35.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

$152 ISK 18.5K

-64.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$65.0 ISK 7,897

-61.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

$184 ISK 22.3K

-50.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$250 ISK 30.4K

-71.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.81

-36.78%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Kirkjubaejarklaustur: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Kirkjubaejarklaustur

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Kirkjubaejarklaustur

$619 36% 162% $382

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Kirkjubaejarklaustur

$293 17.1% 171% $185

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kirkjubaejarklaustur

$217 12.6% 129% $122

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Kirkjubaejarklaustur

$528 30.8% 589% $451

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Kirkjubaejarklaustur

$21 * 1.2% 64.1% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Kirkjubaejarklaustur

$39 * 2.3% 23% $12

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $124 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $619 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇸 Kirkjubaejarklaustur

🕒 Local time

16:37 4:37 PM

09:37 9:37 AM

7 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

500

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.23 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.34 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.34 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kirkjubaejarklaustur 9,380 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kirkjubaejarklaustur

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 Kirkjubaejarklaustur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkjubaejarklaustur costs about 84% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,576 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $124 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 162% more in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,717 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,717 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.