Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kuldiga

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuldiga: $260 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Kuldiga

🇱🇻 Latvia

$260

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $260 in Kuldiga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kuldiga $260

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $575 in Kuldiga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kuldiga $575

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $889 in Kuldiga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kuldiga $889

Chiang Mai costs about 260% more than Kuldiga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kuldiga are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kuldiga 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$11.34 €10.19

-80.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$66.6 €59.8

-71.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$4.07 €3.66

36.36%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$3.29 €2.96

-49.24%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$2.73 €2.45

-76.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$1.10 €0.98

-71.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$4.94 €4.44

-52.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$5.44 €4.88

-32.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.59 €1.43

22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.38 €1.24

4.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.59 €2.33

-11.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$0.90 €0.81

161.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.37 €1.23

-29.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$2.27 €2.04

-33.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.47 €0.42

172.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.47 €0.42

134.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kuldiga: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kuldiga

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kuldiga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kuldiga

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kuldiga

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kuldiga

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kuldiga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kuldiga

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $67 in Kuldiga. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $66 in Kuldiga – so Kuldiga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇱🇻 Kuldiga

🕒 Local time

23:07 11:07 PM

18:07 6:07 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

12,494

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 EUR = 1.11 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

USD to THB in detail →

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Chiang Mai Kuldiga 7,480 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kuldiga

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 Kuldiga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 260% more than Kuldiga, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $390 in Kuldiga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $260 in Kuldiga. That’s a gap of about 260%.

Groceries cost about 253% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kuldiga, where all-in costs run around $260, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Kuldiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $260 in Kuldiga to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.