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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,658 per month in Cortona vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,523 per month in Cortona vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Cortona vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cortona costs about 96% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cortona sits 24% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.81 €11.73

$1.95 ฿62.5

608.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 €62.8

$18.43 ฿590

301.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.55 €9.81

$7.50 ฿240

54.00%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.50

$1.93 ฿61.9

-8.29%

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

$2.49 €2.12

$0.78 ฿24.94

219.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.09

$0.32 ฿10.36

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 €4.87

$2.15 ฿68.8

166.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.44

$3.71 ฿119

40.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.49

$1.71 ฿54.9

2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.84

$1.56 ฿50.0

38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.50

$1.18 ฿37.85

150.00%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.83

$1.98 ฿63.5

127.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.54 €14.90

$16.04 ฿514

9.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.10 €10.27

$3.17 ฿102

281.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.40 €17.32

$10.94 ฿351

86.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 €2.05

$2.63 ฿84.2

-7.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €1.98

$1.17 ฿37.40

99.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.65

$1.65 ฿52.7

17.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 €2.29

$1.54 ฿49.23

75.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 €1.47

$1.38 ฿44.09

25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 €1.56

$1.17 ฿37.33

57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.07

$0.66 ฿21.13

90.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.47

$0.51 ฿16.46

7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 €5.85

$4.52 ฿145

52.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.58 €7.29

$18.32 ฿587

-53.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.57

$1.80 ฿57.6

2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 €2.33

$3.18 ฿102

-13.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.50

$0.90 ฿28.80

96.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.95 €37.31

$19.00 ฿609

131.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 €4.56

$1.41 ฿45.25

280.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.24

$1.31 ฿41.91

11.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.78 €29.53

$8.09 ฿259

329.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.65

$1.28 ฿40.85

52.34%

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

$29.2K €24.8K

$21.3K ฿682.3K

36.95%

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

$29.4K €25.0K

$21.7K ฿695.4K

35.49%

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

$226 €192

$69.2 ฿2,217

226.10%

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

$11.07 €9.40

$13.97 ฿448

-20.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.56 €26.80

$17.95 ฿575

75.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 €45.75

$42.31 ฿1,356

27.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 €19.36

$6.66 ฿213

242.49%

Cinema Ticket

$11.76 €9.98

$5.92 ฿190

98.65%

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

$290 €246

$299 ฿9,586

-3.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K €8,907

$14.8K ฿475.8K

-29.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 €62.4

$56.2 ฿1,800

30.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 €30.09

$26.94 ฿863

31.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 €71.9

$84.9 ฿2,719

-0.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €102

$71.8 ฿2,301

67.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 €641

$435 ฿13.9K

73.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 €497

$240 ฿7,684

144.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 €1,011

$798 ฿25.6K

49.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 €801

$498 ฿16.0K

89.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,422 €2,056

$1,995 ฿63.9K

21.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,732 €2,319

$628 ฿20.1K

334.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

-21.00%

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

Last update for Cortona: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $755 in Cortona versus $435 in Chiang Mai. 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 335% higher in Cortona, 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 $74 in Cortona versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $244 – 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

Cortona vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cortona costs about 96% 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 $2,487 per month in Cortona and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. 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 $290 per month in Cortona and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Cortona, 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 $845, than in Cortona at $1,658. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cortona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,658 in Cortona. 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, Cortona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.