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 $1,046 per month in Durres vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,598 per month in Durres vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,150 per month in Durres vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Durres costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durres and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Durres 22% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.49 ALL 776

$1.98 ฿64.3

379.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.73 ALL 2,838

$18.80 ฿612

84.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 ALL 574

$7.75 ฿252

-9.42%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ALL 153

$1.92 ฿62.5

-2.60%

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

$1.59 ALL 130

$0.79 ฿25.79

101.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ALL 68.1

$0.36 ฿11.62

130.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ALL 191

$2.21 ฿72.1

5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ALL 270

$3.66 ฿119

-9.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ALL 162

$1.65 ฿53.8

20.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ALL 74.3

$1.63 ฿53.2

-44.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$1.19 ฿38.86

70.59%

Eggs

$2.95 ALL 241

$2.00 ฿65.1

47.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 ALL 859

$15.98 ฿520

-34.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ALL 636

$3.03 ฿98.5

156.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 ALL 1,094

$10.86 ฿354

23.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 94.3

$2.76 ฿90.0

-58.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 ALL 193

$1.18 ฿38.42

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ALL 106

$1.64 ฿53.5

-20.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ALL 97.7

$1.52 ฿49.51

-21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 89.2

$1.38 ฿45.10

-21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 84.7

$1.19 ฿38.84

-12.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ALL 93.7

$0.70 ฿22.86

64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ALL 52.2

$0.56 ฿18.13

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 ALL 341

$4.58 ฿149

-8.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 ALL 892

$16.56 ฿539

-34.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ALL 136

$1.83 ฿59.5

-8.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ALL 148

$3.20 ฿104

-43.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ALL 37.36

$0.88 ฿28.56

-47.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.43 ALL 1,506

$18.72 ฿610

-1.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ALL 296

$1.36 ฿44.16

166.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ALL 167

$1.34 ฿43.65

52.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.71 ALL 1,447

$7.84 ฿256

125.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 ALL 180

$1.23 ฿39.92

78.86%

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

$15.2K ALL 1.2M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-29.59%

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

$25.5K ALL 2.1M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

13.09%

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

$67.9 ALL 5,548

$70.5 ฿2,298

-3.73%

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

$17.82 ALL 1,456

$13.68 ฿445

30.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.72 ALL 1,284

$17.45 ฿568

-9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 ALL 3,025

$41.33 ฿1,346

-10.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.5 ALL 4,857

$6.96 ฿227

754.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 ALL 585

$5.77 ฿188

24.09%

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

$179 ALL 14.6K

$307 ฿10.0K

-41.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,380 ALL 357.8K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-70.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.91 ALL 3,097

$55.8 ฿1,817

-32.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.86 ALL 3,257

$26.21 ฿854

52.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ALL 6,910

$85.8 ฿2,793

-1.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 ALL 12.7K

$72.2 ฿2,353

115.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ALL 34.9K

$430 ฿14.0K

-0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ALL 25.4K

$239 ฿7,774

30.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 ALL 50.2K

$817 ฿26.6K

-24.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ALL 34.6K

$511 ฿16.6K

-17.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 ALL 148.1K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-8.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 ALL 94.4K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-22.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$834 ALL 68.1K

$619 ฿20.2K

34.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

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

Last update for Durres: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Durres versus $430 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 35% 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 $35.00 in Durres versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 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 20% 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 $1,569 per month in Durres and $1,303 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 $179 per month in Durres and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $869, than in Durres at $1,046. 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 $869 versus $1,046 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.