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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,587 in Roskilde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,039 in Roskilde, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,491 in Roskilde, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Roskilde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Roskilde is 89% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$18.68 DKK 122

-88.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$116 DKK 756

-83.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$15.42 DKK 100

-63.23%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$7.41 DKK 48.32

-75.57%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$4.23 DKK 27.54

-81.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$3.51 DKK 22.85

-90.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$8.38 DKK 54.6

-73.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$8.69 DKK 56.7

-56.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.11 DKK 13.75

-2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$3.92 DKK 25.53

-61.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.44 DKK 15.93

-42.62%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$5.04 DKK 32.84

-55.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$14.97 DKK 97.6

8.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$11.95 DKK 77.9

-75.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$19.03 DKK 124

-50.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.77 DKK 18.03

-3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.82 DKK 18.41

-61.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.17 DKK 14.12

-25.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.24 DKK 27.64

-65.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.77 DKK 11.53

-27.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.50 DKK 9.76

-29.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.48 DKK 9.68

-51.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.69 DKK 4.51

-23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$9.06 DKK 59.0

-53.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$7.83 DKK 51.1

133.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.06 DKK 13.40

-20.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.72 DKK 17.73

6.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$78.6 DKK 512

-31.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$6.02 DKK 39.22

-80.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.80 DKK 11.71

-67.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$64.7 DKK 422

-96.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$2.34 DKK 15.23

-38.03%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$50.8K DKK 330.9K

-58.61%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$55.6K DKK 362.7K

-52.51%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$224 DKK 1,462

-71.62%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$16.26 DKK 106

-20.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$44.77 DKK 292

-54.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$61.4 DKK 400

-36.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$16.71 DKK 109

-60.62%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$384 DKK 2,503

104.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$6,095 DKK 39.7K

140.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$110 DKK 717

-49.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$48.82 DKK 318

-49.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$159 DKK 1,039

-40.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$196 DKK 1,275

-62.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$1,350 DKK 8,800

-63.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$1,164 DKK 7,584

-75.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$2,651 DKK 17.3K

-66.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$2,127 DKK 13.9K

-75.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$6,891 DKK 44.9K

-71.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$6,345 DKK 41.4K

-77.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$4,320 DKK 28.2K

-86.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.67

51.77%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Roskilde: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,350 in Roskilde. 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 618% higher in Roskilde, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $116 in Roskilde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $367 – 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 Roskilde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roskilde costs about 177% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,880 in Roskilde. 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $384 in Roskilde. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Roskilde, 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 $932, than in Roskilde at $2,587. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roskilde it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,587 in Roskilde. 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, Roskilde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.