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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,627 per month in Hella vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,850 per month in Hella vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,074 per month in Hella vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hella costs about 91% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hella sits 22% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.50 ISK 3,276

$2.04 ฿68.2

1199.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 18.2K

$18.71 ฿624

685.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.27 ISK 2,753

$7.86 ฿262

183.33%

Cappuccino

$6.01 ISK 743

$2.03 ฿67.7

196.06%

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

$3.26 ISK 403

$0.80 ฿26.64

307.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ISK 312

$0.35 ฿11.68

620.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.63 ISK 1,561

$2.14 ฿71.5

490.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.04 ISK 1,365

$3.67 ฿122

200.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ISK 240

$1.73 ฿57.6

12.14%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 ISK 532

$1.57 ฿52.4

173.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 ISK 462

$1.20 ฿39.99

211.67%

Eggs

$6.40 ISK 791

$1.97 ฿65.8

224.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.20 ISK 2,250

$16.23 ฿541

12.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.23 ISK 2,995

$3.06 ฿102

691.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.93 ISK 5,183

$10.80 ฿360

288.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ISK 398

$2.77 ฿92.3

16.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 ISK 314

$1.17 ฿38.94

117.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 ISK 375

$1.71 ฿57.0

77.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 ISK 612

$1.59 ฿53.2

211.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ISK 439

$1.39 ฿46.51

155.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 ISK 286

$1.16 ฿38.56

99.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 ISK 387

$0.66 ฿22.05

374.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ISK 241

$0.52 ฿17.31

275.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 ISK 1,658

$4.65 ฿155

188.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.81 ISK 2,820

$17.78 ฿593

28.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 ISK 439

$1.79 ฿59.6

98.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ISK 416

$3.34 ฿111

0.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 ISK 803

$1.41 ฿47.04

360.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 ISK 323

$1.34 ฿44.70

94.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.9 ISK 10.5K

$8.11 ฿270

947.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.47 ISK 305

$1.23 ฿41.16

100.81%

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

$48.2K ISK 6.0M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

124.79%

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

$52.6K ISK 6.5M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

141.25%

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

$88.7 ISK 11.0K

$71.3 ฿2,379

24.34%

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

$27.34 ISK 3,380

$14.01 ฿467

95.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 ISK 10.4K

$17.93 ฿598

367.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 ISK 2,208

$5.72 ฿191

212.24%

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

$317 ISK 39.1K

$308 ฿10.3K

2.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

$14.7K ฿489.7K

106.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ISK 17.4K

$55.8 ฿1,860

151.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 ISK 7,748

$26.04 ฿869

140.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 ISK 22.4K

$84.8 ฿2,829

113.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$261 ISK 32.2K

$71.0 ฿2,368

267.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

92.60%

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

Last update for Hella: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Hella versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $594 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

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

Hella costs about 91% 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 $2,440 per month in Hella and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Hella and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 143% more in Hella, 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 $852, than in Hella at $1,627. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hella it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,627 in Hella. 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, Hella makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.