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 $1,619 per month in Hella vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,788 per month in Hella vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,958 per month in Hella vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hella costs about 86% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hella sits 20% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.32 ISK 3,401

$1.98 ฿64.3

1279.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 ISK 18.0K

$18.80 ฿612

667.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.68 ISK 2,823

$7.75 ฿252

192.65%

Cappuccino

$6.15 ISK 765

$1.92 ฿62.5

220.31%

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

$3.35 ISK 417

$0.79 ฿25.79

324.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 ISK 316

$0.36 ฿11.62

605.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.72 ISK 1,583

$2.21 ฿72.1

475.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.15 ISK 1,388

$3.66 ฿119

204.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ISK 241

$1.65 ฿53.8

16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 ISK 522

$1.63 ฿53.2

157.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 ISK 457

$1.19 ฿38.86

208.40%

Eggs

$6.31 ISK 786

$2.00 ฿65.1

215.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.19 ISK 2,265

$15.98 ฿520

13.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.53 ISK 3,053

$3.03 ฿98.5

709.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.71 ISK 5,193

$10.86 ฿354

284.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ISK 418

$2.76 ฿90.0

21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ISK 312

$1.18 ฿38.42

112.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 ISK 378

$1.64 ฿53.5

85.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 ISK 611

$1.52 ฿49.51

223.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ISK 459

$1.38 ฿45.10

167.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 ISK 301

$1.19 ฿38.84

103.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 ISK 397

$0.70 ฿22.86

355.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ISK 247

$0.56 ฿18.13

255.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.60 ISK 1,693

$4.58 ฿149

196.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.47 ISK 2,922

$16.56 ฿539

41.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 ISK 463

$1.83 ฿59.5

103.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ISK 415

$3.20 ฿104

4.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 ISK 777

$1.36 ฿44.16

358.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 ISK 331

$1.34 ฿43.65

98.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.8 ISK 10.7K

$7.84 ฿256

994.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.43 ISK 302

$1.23 ฿39.92

97.56%

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

$47.5K ISK 5.9M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

119.67%

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

$51.3K ISK 6.4M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

127.60%

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

$89.4 ISK 11.1K

$70.5 ฿2,298

26.67%

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

$27.68 ISK 3,446

$13.68 ฿445

102.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.5 ISK 10.6K

$17.45 ฿568

389.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$17.43 ISK 2,170

$5.77 ฿188

202.08%

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

$316 ISK 39.4K

$307 ฿10.0K

3.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K ISK 3.7M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

104.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 ISK 17.5K

$55.8 ฿1,817

152.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 ISK 7,609

$26.21 ฿854

133.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$186 ISK 23.1K

$85.8 ฿2,793

116.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$271 ISK 33.8K

$72.2 ฿2,353

275.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in Hella versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $597 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

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

Hella costs about 86% 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 $2,428 per month in Hella and $1,303 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 $144 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 148% 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 $869, than in Hella at $1,619. 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 $869 versus $1,619 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.