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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,313 per month in Krems vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,408 per month in Krems vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,503 per month in Krems vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Krems costs about 167% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Krems sits 73% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.09 €18.14

$1.94 ฿63.5

987.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 €69.1

$18.64 ฿609

330.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.14 €11.30

$7.82 ฿255

68.03%

Cappuccino

$4.45 €3.83

$1.95 ฿63.8

128.21%

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

$3.64 €3.13

$0.85 ฿27.77

328.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.31

$0.35 ฿11.58

668.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 €4.81

$2.13 ฿69.6

162.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 €4.25

$3.73 ฿122

32.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.71 ฿56.0

-7.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 €2.98

$1.63 ฿53.2

112.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$1.14 ฿37.15

98.25%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.52

$1.93 ฿63.1

112.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.52 €15.07

$16.21 ฿530

8.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 €13.80

$3.12 ฿102

414.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.47 €20.19

$10.90 ฿356

115.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.75 ฿90.0

-16.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$1.21 ฿39.52

86.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.62 ฿53.0

115.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 €3.54

$1.59 ฿51.8

158.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 €2.09

$1.40 ฿45.70

72.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.17 ฿38.17

74.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 €1.64

$0.66 ฿21.60

189.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 €0.65

$0.53 ฿17.22

43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.64

$4.69 ฿153

39.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 €7.07

$18.66 ฿609

-56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$1.80 ฿58.8

-60.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.54

$3.23 ฿106

-44.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.41

$0.90 ฿29.26

212.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.7 €51.4

$19.21 ฿628

210.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 €6.83

$1.41 ฿45.91

463.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.29 ฿42.12

56.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.91 €24.87

$7.84 ฿256

268.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.27 ฿41.58

33.07%

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

$28.6K €24.6K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

34.30%

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

$30.3K €26.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

36.34%

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

$343 €295

$69.1 ฿2,256

396.74%

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

$19.79 €17.02

$14.08 ฿460

40.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 €34.73

$18.00 ฿588

124.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.87 €41.17

$41.06 ฿1,341

16.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.70 €22.11

$6.96 ฿227

269.25%

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 €11.82

$5.92 ฿193

132.09%

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

$464 €400

$299 ฿9,766

55.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,568 €3,930

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-69.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 €86.1

$54.7 ฿1,787

82.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 €34.45

$26.77 ฿874

49.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €103

$85.0 ฿2,776

40.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 €109

$70.6 ฿2,306

79.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$897 €771

$428 ฿14.0K

109.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$836 €719

$237 ฿7,752

252.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$801 ฿26.2K

103.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 €1,107

$515 ฿16.8K

149.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,823 €2,429

$617 ฿20.2K

357.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

-22.20%

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

Last update for Krems: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $897 in Krems 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 357% higher in Krems, 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 $80.0 in Krems versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 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

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

Krems costs about 167% 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 $3,469 per month in Krems 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 $464 per month in Krems 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 58% more in Krems, 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 Krems at $2,313. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krems it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,313 in Krems. 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, Krems makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.