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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,343 per month in Herentals vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,386 per month in Herentals vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Herentals vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Herentals costs about 147% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Herentals sits 70% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.85 €16.25

$2.10 ฿69.4

797.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.5 €80.6

$19.84 ฿656

371.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.50 €10.78

$5.79 ฿192

115.89%

Cappuccino

$3.73 €3.22

$1.83 ฿60.5

103.83%

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

$3.72 €3.21

$0.78 ฿25.63

376.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 €2.36

$0.31 ฿10.38

783.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 €5.10

$2.34 ฿77.3

152.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.04

$3.70 ฿122

26.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$2.03 ฿67.1

-36.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 €2.42

$1.60 ฿52.8

75.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 €3.36

$1.42 ฿46.80

174.65%

Eggs

$3.90 €3.36

$2.18 ฿72.0

78.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.94 €21.50

$15.91 ฿526

56.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.09 €10.43

$3.07 ฿102

293.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 €13.49

$9.87 ฿326

58.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.81

$2.63 ฿86.9

23.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.13

$1.10 ฿36.23

125.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 €3.44

$1.63 ฿53.9

144.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 €2.70

$1.53 ฿50.6

104.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$1.24 ฿41.16

116.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.13 ฿37.40

90.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.74 ฿24.41

143.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.99

$0.50 ฿16.50

130.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.34 €8.92

$4.28 ฿142

141.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 €6.12

$17.97 ฿594

-60.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.27

$1.70 ฿56.2

54.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 €2.76

$2.90 ฿95.8

10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 €2.82

$0.94 ฿31.15

248.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 €48.53

$55.3 ฿1,828

1.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 €4.62

$1.23 ฿40.80

335.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.67 €2.30

$0.53 ฿17.67

403.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.11 €14.76

$2.40 ฿79.4

612.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.44 ฿47.60

25.69%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$21.2K ฿700.9K

70.98%

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

$34.6K €29.8K

$27.3K ฿903.0K

26.69%

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

$351 €302

$64.9 ฿2,147

440.04%

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

$26.22 €22.61

$13.35 ฿442

96.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 €52.8

$20.83 ฿689

193.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.81 €32.61

$40.42 ฿1,337

-6.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.93 €18.05

$3.95 ฿131

429.87%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 €12.82

$6.71 ฿222

121.46%

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

$871 €751

$787 ฿26.0K

10.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K €19.3K

$15.1K ฿500.1K

48.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.6 €72.1

$56.2 ฿1,859

48.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 €44.34

$24.95 ฿825

106.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €91.0

$92.7 ฿3,066

13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €146

$75.1 ฿2,484

125.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 €821

$484 ฿16.0K

96.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 €737

$287 ฿9,500

197.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 €1,256

$910 ฿30.1K

60.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 €1,015

$531 ฿17.5K

121.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,241 €3,657

$1,980 ฿65.5K

114.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,033 €2,615

$1,451 ฿48.0K

109.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

5.57

-34.47%

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

Last update for Herentals: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Herentals versus $484 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Herentals versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 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

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

Herentals costs about 147% 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 $3,515 per month in Herentals and $1,426 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 $871 per month in Herentals and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Herentals, 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 $950, than in Herentals at $2,343. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Herentals it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $2,343 in Herentals. 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, Herentals makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.