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 $1,637 per month in Hella vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,843 per month in Hella vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,048 per month in Hella vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hella costs about 92% 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

$27.19 ISK 3,329

$1.96 ฿63.6

1287.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 17.9K

$18.81 ฿611

678.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.26 ISK 2,726

$7.92 ฿258

181.06%

Cappuccino

$6.27 ISK 768

$1.91 ฿62.2

228.27%

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

$3.29 ISK 403

$0.84 ฿27.25

291.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ISK 306

$0.35 ฿11.44

614.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.92 ISK 1,583

$2.21 ฿71.7

484.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.32 ISK 1,386

$3.80 ฿124

197.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ISK 237

$1.64 ฿53.2

17.68%

White Bread (500g)

$4.36 ISK 534

$1.62 ฿52.8

169.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 ISK 442

$1.18 ฿38.40

205.93%

Eggs

$6.31 ISK 773

$2.01 ฿65.4

213.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.91 ISK 2,193

$15.89 ฿517

12.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.63 ISK 2,893

$3.01 ฿98.0

685.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.77 ISK 5,238

$10.77 ฿350

297.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ISK 396

$2.61 ฿85.0

24.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 ISK 296

$1.22 ฿39.65

98.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ISK 381

$1.70 ฿55.4

82.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 ISK 596

$1.58 ฿51.2

208.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.64 ISK 446

$1.32 ฿42.89

175.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 ISK 293

$1.17 ฿38.01

104.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 ISK 377

$0.67 ฿21.85

358.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ISK 236

$0.56 ฿18.21

244.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 ISK 1,643

$4.53 ฿147

196.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.12 ISK 2,832

$18.20 ฿592

27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 ISK 445

$1.83 ฿59.6

98.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ISK 409

$3.23 ฿105

3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 ISK 798

$1.35 ฿43.95

382.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 ISK 308

$1.35 ฿43.79

86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.3 ISK 10.6K

$8.25 ฿268

946.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.57 ISK 314

$1.27 ฿41.40

102.36%

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

$48.2K ISK 5.9M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

127.76%

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

$52.7K ISK 6.5M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

134.56%

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

$89.3 ISK 10.9K

$70.2 ฿2,281

27.31%

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

$27.34 ISK 3,348

$13.77 ฿448

98.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.0 ISK 10.7K

$17.60 ฿572

394.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$17.63 ISK 2,159

$5.78 ฿188

205.02%

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

$318 ISK 39.0K

$306 ฿9,953

3.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

106.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 ISK 17.3K

$54.4 ฿1,768

159.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 ISK 7,422

$26.14 ฿850

131.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ISK 22.3K

$84.5 ฿2,748

115.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$262 ISK 32.1K

$69.4 ฿2,257

277.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 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: $593 vs $243 – 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 92% 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 $2,456 per month in Hella and $1,278 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 144% 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 $1,637. 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 $1,637 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.