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 $2,711 per month in Ilulissat vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,060 per month in Ilulissat vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,409 per month in Ilulissat vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ilulissat costs about 213% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ilulissat sits 102% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.03 DKK 148

$1.94 ฿63.5

1087.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.2 DKK 560

$18.64 ฿609

367.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.98 DKK 122

$7.82 ฿255

142.71%

Cappuccino

$4.28 DKK 27.54

$1.95 ฿63.8

119.49%

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

$1.53 DKK 9.81

$0.85 ฿27.77

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 DKK 18.53

$0.35 ฿11.58

722.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.37 DKK 86.0

$2.13 ฿69.6

527.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 DKK 46.62

$3.73 ฿122

94.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.01 DKK 19.38

$1.71 ฿56.0

76.02%

White Bread (500g)

$5.52 DKK 35.50

$1.63 ฿53.2

238.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 DKK 28.15

$1.14 ฿37.15

284.21%

Eggs

$3.78 DKK 24.27

$1.93 ฿63.1

95.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$34.58 DKK 222

$16.21 ฿530

113.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$40.77 DKK 262

$3.12 ฿102

1206.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.59 DKK 171

$10.90 ฿356

143.94%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 DKK 39.63

$2.75 ฿90.0

124.00%

Banana (1kg)

$5.54 DKK 35.59

$1.21 ฿39.52

357.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.32 DKK 40.67

$1.62 ฿53.0

290.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 DKK 30.11

$1.59 ฿51.8

194.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 DKK 24.77

$1.40 ฿45.70

175.00%

Onion (1kg)

$5.58 DKK 35.86

$1.17 ฿38.17

376.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.90 DKK 44.37

$0.66 ฿21.60

945.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 DKK 20.37

$0.53 ฿17.22

498.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 DKK 89.0

$4.69 ฿153

195.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.33 DKK 150

$18.66 ฿609

25.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 DKK 13.30

$1.80 ฿58.8

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 DKK 27.17

$3.23 ฿106

30.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 DKK 25.02

$0.90 ฿29.26

332.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.4 DKK 601

$19.21 ฿628

386.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 DKK 20.06

$1.41 ฿45.91

121.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 DKK 51.0

$7.84 ฿256

1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 DKK 4.81

$1.27 ฿41.58

-40.94%

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

$39.8K DKK 256.2K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

87.26%

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

$14.1K DKK 90.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-36.53%

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

$268 DKK 1,721

$69.1 ฿2,256

287.55%

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

$66.6 DKK 428

$14.08 ฿460

373.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$188 DKK 1,210

$18.00 ฿588

945.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.79 DKK 50.1

$41.06 ฿1,341

-81.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$18.29 DKK 118

$5.92 ฿193

208.95%

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

$615 DKK 3,957

$299 ฿9,766

105.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K DKK 68.8K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-28.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$171 DKK 1,098

$54.7 ฿1,787

212.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 DKK 352

$26.77 ฿874

104.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$169 DKK 1,085

$85.0 ฿2,776

98.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$232 DKK 1,491

$70.6 ฿2,306

228.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 DKK 3,193

$428 ฿14.0K

16.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 DKK 4,071

$237 ฿7,752

166.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 DKK 5,757

$801 ฿26.2K

11.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$880 DKK 5,658

$515 ฿16.8K

70.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,840 DKK 24.7K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

94.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,218 DKK 27.1K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

185.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,136 DKK 13.7K

$617 ฿20.2K

245.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.95

-1.00%

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

Last update for Ilulissat: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $497 in Ilulissat 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 246% 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 $87.0 in Ilulissat versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $772 vs $246 – 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 213% 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 $4,067 per month in Ilulissat and $1,300 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 $615 per month in Ilulissat and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 213% 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 $866, than in Ilulissat at $2,711. 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 $866 versus $2,711 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.