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 $1,694 per month in Hella vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,923 per month in Hella vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Hella vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hella costs about 82% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hella sits 24% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.93 ISK 3,645

$2.08 ฿69.5

1338.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$137 ISK 16.6K

$19.61 ฿655

596.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$26.99 ISK 3,287

$5.67 ฿189

376.01%

Cappuccino

$6.87 ISK 837

$1.81 ฿60.3

279.56%

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

$3.25 ISK 396

$0.77 ฿25.65

322.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ISK 392

$0.35 ฿11.53

817.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.88 ISK 1,690

$2.21 ฿73.9

528.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.29 ISK 1,497

$3.79 ฿127

224.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ISK 259

$2.05 ฿68.4

3.41%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 ISK 526

$1.51 ฿50.6

186.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 ISK 450

$1.40 ฿46.69

163.57%

Eggs

$7.01 ISK 854

$2.26 ฿75.4

210.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.12 ISK 2,573

$16.19 ฿540

30.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.72 ISK 3,011

$2.90 ฿96.7

752.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.94 ISK 5,230

$9.42 ฿314

355.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ISK 408

$2.68 ฿89.4

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 ISK 356

$1.09 ฿36.37

167.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 ISK 385

$1.62 ฿54.0

95.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 ISK 762

$1.46 ฿48.74

328.08%

Potato (1kg)

$4.13 ISK 504

$1.28 ฿42.65

222.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 ISK 202

$1.06 ฿35.31

56.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.81 ISK 465

$0.72 ฿23.94

429.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ISK 214

$0.53 ฿17.56

232.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 ISK 1,690

$4.23 ฿141

227.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.10 ISK 2,936

$18.29 ฿611

31.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 ISK 462

$1.63 ฿54.4

132.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ISK 410

$2.90 ฿96.8

16.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ISK 827

$1.17 ฿39.14

480.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 ISK 345

$0.58 ฿19.30

387.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.9 ISK 9,118

$2.39 ฿79.6

3032.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 ISK 246

$1.45 ฿48.41

39.31%

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

$50.8K ISK 6.2M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

141.73%

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

$54.3K ISK 6.6M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

105.58%

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

$88.2 ISK 10.7K

$63.7 ฿2,125

38.55%

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

$32.75 ISK 3,989

$12.89 ฿430

154.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 ISK 10.2K

$20.52 ฿685

308.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$19.68 ISK 2,396

$6.58 ฿220

199.09%

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

$1,190 ISK 144.9K

$784 ฿26.2K

51.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

$14.7K ฿489.8K

108.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$161 ISK 19.6K

$55.1 ฿1,840

192.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 ISK 8,170

$24.74 ฿826

171.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ISK 22.1K

$94.1 ฿3,142

93.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$252 ISK 30.6K

$74.0 ฿2,469

240.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.88

5.57

59.43%

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

Last update for Hella: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $137 in Hella versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $627 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 82% 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 $2,541 per month in Hella and $1,398 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 $137 in Hella and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 160% 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 $932, than in Hella at $1,694. 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 $932 versus $1,694 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.