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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,179 per month in Durres vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,788 per month in Durres vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,396 per month in Durres vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Durres costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durres and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Durres 14% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.60 ALL 840

$2.08 ฿69.2

409.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.30 ALL 3,037

$19.61 ฿652

95.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.50 ALL 833

$5.67 ฿189

85.19%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ALL 165

$1.81 ฿60.0

14.92%

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

$2.05 ALL 162

$0.77 ฿25.55

166.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ALL 81.5

$0.35 ฿11.48

194.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 ALL 248

$2.21 ฿73.6

41.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 ALL 357

$3.79 ฿126

18.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ALL 175

$2.05 ฿68.1

7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ALL 86.8

$1.51 ฿50.4

-27.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 ALL 189

$1.40 ฿46.51

70.00%

Eggs

$3.97 ALL 315

$2.26 ฿75.1

75.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.95 ALL 1,027

$16.19 ฿538

-20.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 ALL 629

$2.90 ฿96.3

173.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.04 ALL 1,193

$9.42 ฿313

59.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 ALL 93.5

$2.68 ฿89.1

-55.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ALL 194

$1.09 ฿36.23

124.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ALL 126

$1.62 ฿53.8

-1.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ALL 106

$1.46 ฿48.55

-8.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ALL 69.2

$1.28 ฿42.48

-32.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ALL 76.1

$1.06 ฿35.17

-9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ALL 101

$0.72 ฿23.85

76.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 57.0

$0.53 ฿17.49

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ALL 351

$4.23 ฿141

4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 ALL 907

$18.29 ฿608

-37.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ALL 120

$1.63 ฿54.2

-6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ALL 166

$2.90 ฿96.5

-27.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ALL 41.43

$0.88 ฿29.20

-40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.12 ALL 1,516

$53.8 ฿1,788

-64.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ALL 300

$1.17 ฿38.99

223.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 ALL 202

$0.58 ฿19.22

339.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 ALL 179

$1.45 ฿48.22

55.86%

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

$16.1K ALL 1.3M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

-23.46%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

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

$98.0 ALL 7,773

$63.7 ฿2,116

54.03%

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

$17.04 ALL 1,351

$12.89 ฿429

32.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.04 ALL 1,351

$20.52 ฿682

-16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 ALL 3,329

$39.02 ฿1,297

7.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.9 ALL 4,907

$3.92 ฿130

1478.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 ALL 595

$6.58 ฿219

14.13%

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

$188 ALL 14.9K

$784 ฿26.1K

-76.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,691 ALL 372.0K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-68.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.91 ALL 3,164

$55.1 ฿1,833

-27.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 ALL 3,320

$24.74 ฿823

69.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 ALL 7,196

$94.1 ฿3,130

-3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 ALL 13.1K

$74.0 ฿2,459

124.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ALL 36.4K

$490 ฿16.3K

-6.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 ALL 27.1K

$288 ฿9,582

18.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ALL 56.8K

$891 ฿29.6K

-19.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 ALL 37.4K

$521 ฿17.3K

-9.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,835 ALL 145.5K

$1,974 ฿65.6K

-7.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 ALL 91.6K

$1,444 ฿48.0K

-20.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 ALL 76.8K

$602 ฿20.0K

61.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Durres: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Durres versus $490 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 61% higher in Durres, 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 $38.00 in Durres versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $241 – 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

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

Durres costs about 27% 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 $1,769 per month in Durres and $1,398 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 $188 per month in Durres and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Durres, 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 Durres at $1,179. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durres it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,179 in Durres. 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, Durres makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.