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 $1,543 per month in Heraklion vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,476 per month in Heraklion vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,409 per month in Heraklion vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Heraklion costs about 81% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Heraklion sits 15% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.64 €11.67

$1.96 ฿64.0

595.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 €49.24

$18.81 ฿615

205.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 €10.00

$7.92 ฿259

47.47%

Cappuccino

$3.92 €3.36

$1.91 ฿62.6

105.24%

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

$2.26 €1.94

$0.84 ฿27.41

169.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.35 ฿11.51

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.69 €4.87

$2.21 ฿72.1

157.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 €4.85

$3.80 ฿124

48.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.64 ฿53.5

16.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.62 ฿53.1

-6.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 €2.27

$1.18 ฿38.62

124.58%

Eggs

$5.79 €4.95

$2.01 ฿65.8

188.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.90 €14.47

$15.89 ฿520

6.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 €10.04

$3.01 ฿98.5

289.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.64 €12.53

$10.77 ฿352

35.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 €1.91

$2.61 ฿85.5

-14.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.80

$1.22 ฿39.88

72.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.70 ฿55.7

-12.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.58 ฿51.5

17.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.32 ฿43.14

-2.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 €1.31

$1.17 ฿38.23

30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 €0.81

$0.67 ฿21.98

41.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 €0.57

$0.56 ฿18.32

19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 €4.61

$4.53 ฿148

18.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 €7.00

$18.20 ฿595

-55.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.83 ฿60.0

13.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.83

$3.23 ฿106

2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 €1.36

$0.89 ฿29.00

78.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.07 €39.43

$19.38 ฿634

137.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 €4.02

$1.35 ฿44.20

247.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.61 €9.94

$8.25 ฿270

40.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.80

$1.27 ฿41.64

66.14%

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

$35.1K €30.1K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

66.03%

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

$25.7K €22.0K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

14.27%

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

$219 €188

$70.2 ฿2,294

212.62%

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

$23.45 €20.07

$13.77 ฿450

70.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.26 €31.89

$17.60 ฿575

111.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 €44.11

$41.57 ฿1,360

23.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.21 €35.28

$6.60 ฿216

524.39%

Cinema Ticket

$9.11 €7.80

$5.78 ฿189

57.61%

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

$423 €362

$306 ฿10.0K

38.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,237 €3,627

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-71.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.5 €85.1

$54.4 ฿1,778

82.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.92 €40.17

$26.14 ฿855

79.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 €76.7

$84.5 ฿2,764

6.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €117

$69.4 ฿2,270

96.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 €466

$424 ฿13.9K

28.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 €355

$238 ฿7,788

74.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 €890

$825 ฿27.0K

26.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 €761

$515 ฿16.8K

72.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,071 €3,485

$2,049 ฿67.0K

98.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,861 €2,449

$1,523 ฿49.8K

87.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,147 €982

$635 ฿20.8K

80.54%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Heraklion versus $424 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 81% 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 $58.0 in Heraklion versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 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

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

Heraklion costs about 81% 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 $2,314 per month in Heraklion and $1,278 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 $423 per month in Heraklion and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $852, than in Heraklion at $1,543. 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 $852 versus $1,543 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.