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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Heraklion vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Heraklion vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,346 per month in Heraklion vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Heraklion costs about 80% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Heraklion sits 14% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.90 €11.97

$1.96 ฿63.6

609.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 €50.5

$18.39 ฿598

218.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.83

$7.87 ฿256

45.11%

Cappuccino

$3.91 €3.37

$1.95 ฿63.4

100.51%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.85 ฿27.57

163.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.32 ฿10.52

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.70 €4.91

$2.14 ฿69.6

166.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 €5.02

$3.68 ฿120

58.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.66 ฿53.9

14.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.56 ฿50.7

-5.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.34

$1.19 ฿38.63

127.73%

Eggs

$5.60 €4.82

$1.99 ฿64.7

181.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.78 €14.45

$16.24 ฿528

3.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 €9.99

$3.17 ฿103

265.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 €12.60

$10.84 ฿352

34.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €1.99

$2.65 ฿86.2

-12.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.22 ฿39.67

75.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.65 ฿53.7

-13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.55 ฿50.3

21.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.33 ฿43.17

-3.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.21 ฿39.43

25.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 €0.80

$0.68 ฿22.04

36.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$0.57 ฿18.38

24.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 €4.71

$4.68 ฿152

16.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.17

$16.99 ฿552

-50.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.82 ฿59.3

19.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.94

$3.18 ฿103

7.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 €1.37

$0.91 ฿29.46

74.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.47 €40.01

$18.74 ฿609

147.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 €4.00

$1.41 ฿45.80

229.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.68 €10.06

$8.14 ฿265

43.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.28 ฿41.53

62.50%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$21.8K ฿709.3K

61.17%

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

$25.6K €22.0K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

14.08%

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

$216 €186

$70.5 ฿2,291

206.74%

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

$23.52 €20.25

$14.05 ฿457

67.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.46 €31.40

$17.65 ฿574

106.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 €44.17

$41.29 ฿1,342

24.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.75 €35.09

$6.76 ฿220

502.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 €8.01

$5.96 ฿194

56.04%

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

$419 €361

$303 ฿9,846

38.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,151 €3,575

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-72.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.1 €84.5

$54.7 ฿1,778

79.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.63 €39.29

$26.29 ฿854

73.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 €75.1

$85.8 ฿2,788

1.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €114

$69.7 ฿2,265

89.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 €461

$428 ฿13.9K

24.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 €371

$239 ฿7,769

80.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 €895

$811 ฿26.4K

28.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$883 €760

$510 ฿16.6K

73.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,020 €3,462

$2,025 ฿65.8K

98.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,896 €2,494

$1,502 ฿48.8K

92.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,147 €988

$623 ฿20.2K

84.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

-11.20%

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

Last update for Heraklion: June 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $535 in Heraklion versus $428 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 84% higher in Heraklion, 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 $59.0 in Heraklion versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $242 – 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

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

Heraklion costs about 80% 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 $2,289 per month in Heraklion and $1,272 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 $419 per month in Heraklion and $303 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Heraklion, 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 $848, than in Heraklion at $1,526. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Heraklion it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,526 in Heraklion. 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, Heraklion makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.