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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,752 per month in Ilulissat vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,117 per month in Ilulissat vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,483 per month in Ilulissat vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ilulissat costs about 190% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ilulissat sits 100% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.71 DKK 205

$2.08 ฿69.2

1424.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 DKK 711

$19.64 ฿651

461.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.32 DKK 125

$5.65 ฿188

241.95%

Cappuccino

$6.02 DKK 38.87

$1.81 ฿59.9

232.60%

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

$0.71 ฿23.66

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 DKK 20.31

$0.32 ฿10.48

884.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.44 DKK 86.7

$2.24 ฿74.2

500.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 DKK 44.78

$3.63 ฿121

91.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 DKK 19.81

$1.96 ฿65.0

56.63%

White Bread (500g)

$5.52 DKK 35.60

$1.50 ฿49.83

268.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 DKK 28.74

$1.34 ฿44.32

232.09%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$34.07 DKK 220

$16.26 ฿539

109.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$40.53 DKK 261

$2.95 ฿98.0

1273.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.56 DKK 171

$9.94 ฿330

167.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.12 DKK 39.51

$2.57 ฿85.3

138.13%

Banana (1kg)

$5.60 DKK 36.10

$1.06 ฿35.04

428.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.10 DKK 39.36

$1.61 ฿53.5

278.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 DKK 29.17

$1.52 ฿50.4

197.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 DKK 24.86

$1.27 ฿42.14

203.15%

Onion (1kg)

$5.59 DKK 36.05

$1.07 ฿35.37

422.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$7.12 DKK 45.94

$0.72 ฿23.89

888.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 DKK 20.53

$0.51 ฿16.87

523.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$23.46 DKK 151

$17.87 ฿593

31.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 DKK 27.46

$2.84 ฿94.1

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.87 DKK 24.97

$0.93 ฿30.70

316.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.7 DKK 598

$53.9 ฿1,787

72.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 DKK 20.17

$1.23 ฿40.95

154.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.06 DKK 39.13

$0.58 ฿19.13

944.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 DKK 51.6

$2.42 ฿80.4

230.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 DKK 4.81

$1.41 ฿46.84

-47.52%

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

$40.7K DKK 262.3K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

89.61%

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

$13.8K DKK 89.1K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-49.49%

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

$260 DKK 1,680

$63.7 ฿2,112

308.94%

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

$66.7 DKK 430

$12.85 ฿426

418.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$187 DKK 1,208

$20.22 ฿671

826.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,285

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿223

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

$612 DKK 3,947

$778 ฿25.8K

-21.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K DKK 70.0K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-25.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,801

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 DKK 348

$25.45 ฿844

112.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$168 DKK 1,085

$94.3 ฿3,129

78.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$231 DKK 1,488

$73.4 ฿2,436

213.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 DKK 3,196

$490 ฿16.2K

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 DKK 4,131

$289 ฿9,596

121.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 DKK 5,821

$894 ฿29.6K

0.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 DKK 5,624

$517 ฿17.1K

68.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,866 DKK 24.9K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

97.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,176 DKK 26.9K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

182.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,069 DKK 13.3K

$602 ฿20.0K

243.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.95

5.57

-11.13%

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

Last update for Ilulissat: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $495 in Ilulissat versus $490 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 244% higher in Ilulissat, 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 $110 in Ilulissat versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $744 vs $240 – 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

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

Ilulissat costs about 190% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,128 per month in Ilulissat and $1,421 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 $612 per month in Ilulissat and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 210% more in Ilulissat, 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 $947, than in Ilulissat at $2,752. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ilulissat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $2,752 in Ilulissat. 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, Ilulissat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.