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 $1,053 per month in Durres vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Durres vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,163 per month in Durres vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Durres costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durres and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Durres 21% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 ALL 768

$1.96 ฿63.6

379.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.05 ALL 2,864

$18.81 ฿611

86.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 ALL 587

$7.92 ฿258

-9.34%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ALL 157

$1.91 ฿62.2

0.52%

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

$1.62 ALL 132

$0.84 ฿27.25

92.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ALL 68.4

$0.35 ฿11.44

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ALL 191

$2.21 ฿71.7

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ALL 275

$3.80 ฿124

-11.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ALL 165

$1.64 ฿53.2

23.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ALL 70.7

$1.62 ฿52.8

-46.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ALL 158

$1.18 ฿38.40

63.56%

Eggs

$2.94 ALL 240

$2.01 ฿65.4

46.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ALL 852

$15.89 ฿517

-34.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ALL 636

$3.01 ฿98.0

158.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 ALL 1,077

$10.77 ฿350

22.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 ALL 97.6

$2.61 ฿85.0

-54.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 ALL 191

$1.22 ฿39.65

91.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ALL 106

$1.70 ฿55.4

-23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ALL 93.6

$1.58 ฿51.2

-27.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 ALL 90.5

$1.32 ฿42.89

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ALL 80.6

$1.17 ฿38.01

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ALL 92.7

$0.67 ฿21.85

68.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ALL 50.7

$0.56 ฿18.21

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ALL 326

$4.53 ฿147

-11.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 ALL 921

$18.20 ฿592

-38.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ALL 138

$1.83 ฿59.6

-8.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ALL 143

$3.23 ฿105

-45.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.78

$0.89 ฿28.83

-49.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.03 ALL 1,473

$19.38 ฿630

-6.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ALL 292

$1.35 ฿43.95

164.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 ALL 174

$1.35 ฿43.79

57.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.76 ALL 1,451

$8.25 ฿268

115.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 ALL 181

$1.27 ฿41.40

74.02%

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

$15.4K ALL 1.3M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-27.20%

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

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

14.49%

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

$66.3 ALL 5,419

$70.2 ฿2,281

-5.47%

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

$17.73 ALL 1,449

$13.77 ฿448

28.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.07 ALL 1,313

$17.60 ฿572

-8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.33 ALL 3,050

$41.57 ฿1,352

-10.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.1 ALL 4,908

$6.60 ฿215

809.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 ALL 594

$5.78 ฿188

25.61%

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

$180 ALL 14.7K

$306 ฿9,953

-41.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,417 ALL 360.9K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-70.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.32 ALL 3,131

$54.4 ฿1,768

-29.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 ALL 3,254

$26.14 ฿850

52.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 ALL 6,862

$84.5 ฿2,748

-0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 ALL 12.5K

$69.4 ฿2,257

121.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 ALL 34.8K

$424 ฿13.8K

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ALL 25.8K

$238 ฿7,743

32.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 ALL 48.9K

$825 ฿26.8K

-27.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 ALL 34.5K

$515 ฿16.7K

-18.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,824 ALL 149.1K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-10.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 ALL 93.3K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-25.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 ALL 69.0K

$635 ฿20.6K

32.94%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Durres versus $424 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 33% 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. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Durres vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Durres wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 24% 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 $1,580 per month in Durres and $1,278 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 $180 per month in Durres and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Durres – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Durres at $1,053. 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 $852 versus $1,053 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.