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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,966 per month in Drachten vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,869 per month in Drachten vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,773 per month in Drachten vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Drachten costs about 127% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Drachten sits 47% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.87 €16.25

$1.94 ฿63.6

872.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.2 €62.2

$18.64 ฿609

287.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 €10.97

$7.82 ฿256

62.92%

Cappuccino

$3.50 €3.01

$1.95 ฿63.9

79.49%

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

$3.13 €2.69

$0.85 ฿27.80

268.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 €2.09

$0.35 ฿11.60

594.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 €4.97

$2.13 ฿69.7

170.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 €3.39

$3.73 ฿122

5.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.71 ฿56.0

-29.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.63 ฿53.3

-14.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.14 ฿37.18

37.72%

Eggs

$4.78 €4.11

$1.93 ฿63.2

147.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 €12.05

$16.21 ฿530

-13.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.93 €11.99

$3.12 ฿102

346.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 €10.86

$10.90 ฿356

15.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.06

$2.75 ฿90.1

-13.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.21 ฿39.56

107.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.62 ฿53.0

18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 €2.85

$1.59 ฿51.9

108.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.40 ฿45.75

27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.17 ฿38.20

41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 €1.05

$0.66 ฿21.62

84.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 €0.58

$0.53 ฿17.24

28.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.27 €7.98

$4.69 ฿153

97.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.18 €6.18

$18.66 ฿610

-61.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.80 ฿58.8

-24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.33

$3.23 ฿106

-16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 €3.54

$0.90 ฿29.28

356.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.34 €39.04

$19.21 ฿628

136.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.30 €3.70

$1.41 ฿45.96

204.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 €2.26

$1.29 ฿42.16

103.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.9 €44.72

$7.84 ฿256

562.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.27 ฿41.62

70.87%

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

$44.6K €38.4K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

109.73%

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

$39.2K €33.8K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

76.49%

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

$267 €230

$69.1 ฿2,258

286.30%

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

$30.31 €26.10

$14.08 ฿460

115.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 €44.04

$18.00 ฿588

184.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.46

$41.06 ฿1,342

39.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.78 €19.62

$6.96 ฿227

227.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 €13.05

$5.92 ฿193

155.91%

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

$1,896 €1,633

$299 ฿9,775

534.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,148 €5,294

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-58.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.3 €80.3

$54.7 ฿1,788

70.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.45 €39.14

$26.77 ฿875

69.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €74.6

$85.0 ฿2,778

1.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 €78.2

$70.6 ฿2,308

28.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 €788

$428 ฿14.0K

113.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 €657

$237 ฿7,759

221.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 €1,190

$801 ฿26.2K

72.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 €908

$515 ฿16.9K

104.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,648 €4,003

$1,975 ฿64.5K

135.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,550 €3,057

$1,475 ฿48.2K

140.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,669 €2,298

$617 ฿20.2K

332.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

-35.00%

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

Last update for Drachten: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $915 in Drachten versus $428 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 332% higher in Drachten, 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 $72.0 in Drachten versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $246 – 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

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

Drachten costs about 127% 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 $2,949 per month in Drachten and $1,300 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 $1,896 per month in Drachten 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 22% more in Drachten, 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 $866, than in Drachten at $1,966. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drachten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,966 in Drachten. 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, Drachten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.