🙂A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,169 in Kongens Lyngby, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,835 in Kongens Lyngby, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,501 in Kongens Lyngby, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 60% cheaper than Kongens Lyngby, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Kongens Lyngby is 62% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Kongens Lyngby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94฿63.5
$22.95DKK 148
-91.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.64฿609
$117DKK 753
-84.08%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.82฿255
$14.21DKK 91.4
-44.97%
Cappuccino
$1.95฿63.8
$7.16DKK 46.01
-72.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85฿27.77
$4.76DKK 30.57
-82.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.58
$3.32DKK 21.33
-89.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.13฿69.6
$9.47DKK 60.9
-77.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿122
$9.08DKK 58.4
-58.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Kongens Lyngby
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71฿56.0
$2.14DKK 13.73
-20.09%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.2
$3.18DKK 20.42
-48.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14฿37.15
$2.49DKK 16.00
-54.22%
Eggs
$1.93฿63.1
$5.67DKK 36.43
-65.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.21฿530
$15.15DKK 97.4
7.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.12฿102
$12.20DKK 78.4
-74.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.90฿356
$16.73DKK 108
-34.85%
Apples(1kg)
$2.75฿90.0
$3.01DKK 19.37
-8.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21฿39.52
$3.25DKK 20.92
-62.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿53.0
$3.86DKK 24.81
-58.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$5.93DKK 38.14
-73.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.40฿45.70
$2.54DKK 16.33
-44.88%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.17
$2.16DKK 13.89
-45.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66฿21.60
$2.31DKK 14.83
-71.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.22
$1.23DKK 7.93
-56.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.69฿153
$10.11DKK 65.0
-53.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.66฿609
$11.78DKK 75.8
58.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.8
$1.91DKK 12.26
-5.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$2.39DKK 15.39
35.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Kongens Lyngby
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90฿29.26
$5.01DKK 32.22
-82.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.21฿628
$94.1DKK 605
-79.57%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41฿45.91
$7.80DKK 50.1
-81.92%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.29฿42.12
$2.05DKK 13.21
-37.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿256
$60.3DKK 388
-86.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.58
$2.27DKK 14.60
-44.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K฿694.9K
$51.4KDKK 330.7K
-58.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K฿725.4K
$52.0KDKK 334.1K
-57.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Kongens Lyngby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.1฿2,256
$209DKK 1,341
-66.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.08฿460
$20.18DKK 130
-30.23%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.00฿588
$43.17DKK 278
-58.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Kongens Lyngby
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.06฿1,341
$42.20DKK 271
-2.70%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿227
$29.54DKK 190
-76.44%
Cinema Ticket
$5.92฿193
$20.54DKK 132
-71.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Kongens Lyngby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299฿9,766
$588DKK 3,780
-49.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0K฿488.3K
$6,314DKK 40.6K
136.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Kongens Lyngby
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7฿1,787
$103DKK 661
-46.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.77฿874
$35.54DKK 229
-24.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.0฿2,776
$119DKK 767
-28.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.6฿2,306
$197DKK 1,264
-64.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Kongens Lyngby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$428฿14.0K
$1,793DKK 11.5K
-76.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$237฿7,752
$693DKK 4,457
-65.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$801฿26.2K
$2,763DKK 17.8K
-70.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$2,007DKK 12.9K
-74.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,975฿64.5K
$6,958DKK 44.7K
-71.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,475฿48.2K
$4,975DKK 32.0K
-70.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Kongens Lyngby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$617฿20.2K
$3,948DKK 25.4K
-84.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
4.19
19.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026
Last update for Kongens Lyngby: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,793 in Kongens Lyngby. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 539% higher in Kongens Lyngby, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $117 in Kongens Lyngby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $396 – 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 Kongens Lyngby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Kongens Lyngby?
Kongens Lyngby 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Kongens Lyngby?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,253 in Kongens Lyngby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Kongens Lyngby?
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 Kongens Lyngby?
Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $588 in Kongens Lyngby. 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 Kongens Lyngby?
Groceries cost about 61% more in Kongens Lyngby, 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 Kongens Lyngby?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Kongens Lyngby at $2,169. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kongens Lyngby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Kongens Lyngby?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,169 in Kongens Lyngby. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Kongens Lyngby?
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 Kongens Lyngby?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kongens Lyngby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared