Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Larissa

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,514 in Larissa, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$906
/mo nomad
Larissa
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,514
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,514 in Larissa, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $906
  • Larissa $1,514

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,254 in Larissa, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,385
  • Larissa $2,254

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,994 in Larissa, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,864
  • Larissa $2,994

Chiang Mai is about 40% cheaper than Larissa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Larissa is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Larissa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.4
$12.48 €11.14
-82.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.40 ฿649
$67.7 €60.4
-71.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.47 ฿183
$10.24 €9.14
-46.58%
Cappuccino
$1.68 ฿56.4
$4.11 €3.66
-59.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 ฿22.10
$2.37 €2.12
-72.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 ฿11.52
$0.57 €0.51
-40.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.42 ฿81.0
$5.72 €5.10
-57.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿125
$5.55 €4.95
-32.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Larissa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.06 ฿68.9
$1.55 €1.38
32.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿48.78
$1.54 €1.38
-5.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.35 ฿45.09
$2.08 €1.86
-35.10%
Eggs
$2.27 ฿76.0
$4.12 €3.68
-44.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.31 ฿546
$13.93 €12.43
17.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.70 ฿90.3
$9.95 €8.88
-72.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.20 ฿308
$13.79 €12.31
-33.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ฿80.1
$2.29 €2.04
4.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.66
$1.82 €1.62
-42.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.7
$1.08 €0.96
48.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.44 ฿48.37
$1.89 €1.69
-23.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.30 ฿43.59
$1.05 €0.93
23.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.29
$1.17 €1.04
-5.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.70 ฿23.55
$0.92 €0.82
-23.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.99
$0.47 €0.42
8.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.13 ฿138
$5.07 €4.53
-18.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.78 ฿595
$6.57 €5.86
170.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ฿54.7
$1.75 €1.56
-6.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 ฿96.0
$2.29 €2.05
25.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Larissa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 ฿28.76
$1.38 €1.23
-37.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.2 ฿1,780
$55.1 €49.20
-3.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.22 ฿40.81
$6.15 €5.49
-80.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.56 ฿18.81
$1.10 €0.98
-49.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.31 ฿77.5
$13.15 €11.74
-82.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ฿50.2
$2.01 €1.79
-25.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ฿698.3K
$33.4K €29.8K
-37.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿895.0K
$26.6K €23.7K
0.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Larissa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.3 ฿2,051
$347 €309
-82.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.50 ฿419
$22.59 €20.16
-44.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.36 ฿682
$29.43 €26.26
-30.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Larissa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.94 ฿1,270
$45.46 €40.57
-16.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿126
$22.03 €19.66
-82.89%
Cinema Ticket
$6.60 ฿221
$9.42 €8.41
-29.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Larissa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$774 ฿25.9K
$437 €390
77.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.4K ฿483.2K
$7,755 €6,920
86.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Larissa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ฿1,835
$87.6 €78.2
-37.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.26 ฿846
$31.64 €28.23
-20.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.6 ฿3,032
$111 €99.3
-18.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.3 ฿2,453
$132 €118
-44.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Larissa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$459 ฿15.4K
$392 €349
17.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$294 ฿9,835
$293 €261
0.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$919 ฿30.8K
$771 €688
19.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 ฿18.5K
$515 €459
7.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,917 ฿64.2K
$2,027 €1,809
-5.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,445 ฿48.4K
$1,519 €1,356
-4.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Larissa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$592 ฿19.8K
$1,156 €1,032
-48.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.45
25.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Larissa: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$294
Larissa
$293 0.4% $1.1
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$236
Larissa
$266 12.7% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$110
Larissa
$163 48.6% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Larissa
$399 324% $305
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Larissa
$231 199% $154
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Larissa
$72 19.2% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Larissa
$64 25.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $392 in Larissa. 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 95% higher in Larissa, 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 $68.0 in Larissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $266 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇬🇷 Larissa
🕒 Local time
17:45 5:45 PM
13:45 1:45 PM
4 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
144,651
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Larissa 7,560 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Larissa

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 Larissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Larissa?
Larissa costs about 67% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Larissa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,272 in Larissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Larissa?
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 Larissa?
Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Chiang Mai and $437 in Larissa. 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 Larissa?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Larissa, 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 Larissa?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Larissa at $1,514. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Larissa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Larissa?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $906 versus $1,514 in Larissa. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Larissa?
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 Larissa?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Larissa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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