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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,623 per month in Iglesias vs $872 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,467 per month in Iglesias vs $1,337 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,311 per month in Iglesias vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iglesias costs about 86% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Iglesias sits 21% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 €19.91

$2.01 ฿64.5

1064.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.1

$18.23 ฿584

280.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 €9.38

$7.65 ฿245

44.05%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.51

$1.92 ฿61.5

-7.81%

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

$2.82 €2.40

$0.84 ฿26.97

235.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.36 ฿11.42

230.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 €4.88

$2.19 ฿70.2

161.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.91

$3.79 ฿121

21.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.00

$1.64 ฿52.5

-28.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 €0.98

$1.62 ฿52.0

-29.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.15 ฿36.98

53.91%

Eggs

$3.43 €2.92

$1.94 ฿62.2

76.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.88 €14.37

$15.94 ฿511

5.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 €6.58

$3.10 ฿99.5

149.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 €6.56

$11.07 ฿355

-30.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 €2.06

$2.71 ฿86.8

-10.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 €1.43

$1.18 ฿37.80

43.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 €1.89

$1.71 ฿54.7

29.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.61 ฿51.5

9.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.55

$1.39 ฿44.66

30.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.81

$1.15 ฿36.81

85.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.21

$0.71 ฿22.83

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 €0.50

$0.55 ฿17.65

7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$4.57 ฿146

45.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 €4.37

$18.87 ฿605

-72.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.82 ฿58.4

-9.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.16

$3.21 ฿103

-57.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.51

$0.88 ฿28.24

101.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.30 €36.85

$18.89 ฿606

129.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 €3.29

$1.41 ฿45.30

173.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 €0.94

$1.30 ฿41.71

-14.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.86 €25.41

$8.20 ฿263

264.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.75

$1.23 ฿39.29

67.48%

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

$34.3K €29.2K

$21.2K ฿678.9K

62.02%

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

$35.4K €30.1K

$22.3K ฿715.3K

58.55%

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

$182 €155

$69.9 ฿2,240

160.00%

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

$11.52 €9.80

$14.07 ฿451

-18.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.66 €26.09

$17.70 ฿567

73.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 €46.82

$41.41 ฿1,328

32.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.85 €19.45

$6.69 ฿215

241.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.37 €7.97

$5.74 ฿184

63.24%

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

$545 €464

$299 ฿9,593

82.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,864 €6,693

$15.0K ฿481.2K

-47.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 €77.3

$54.8 ฿1,758

65.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 €53.1

$26.35 ฿845

136.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 €72.9

$84.7 ฿2,714

1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$69.7 ฿2,236

71.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 €634

$427 ฿13.7K

74.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 €492

$241 ฿7,718

140.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 €1,042

$811 ฿26.0K

50.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 €790

$498 ฿16.0K

86.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,026 €2,575

$2,022 ฿64.8K

49.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,954 €1,663

$1,524 ฿48.9K

28.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

-2.60%

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

Last update for Iglesias: April 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $744 in Iglesias versus $427 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 $69 in Iglesias versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Iglesias vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Iglesias wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Iglesias costs about 86% 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 $2,435 per month in Iglesias and $1,308 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 $545 per month in Iglesias and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Iglesias – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $872, than in Iglesias at $1,623. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iglesias it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $1,623 in Iglesias. 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, Iglesias makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.