Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between L'Aquila and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,573 in L'Aquila, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

L'Aquila
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,573
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in L'Aquila and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in L'Aquila and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,573 per month in L'Aquila vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • L'Aquila $1,573
  • Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $2,426 per month in L'Aquila vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • L'Aquila $2,426
  • Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in L'Aquila vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • L'Aquila $3,279
  • Chiang Mai $1,914

L'Aquila costs about 68% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

L'Aquila sits 17% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
L'Aquila
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.60 €20.11
$2.26 ฿75.4
900.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.4 €59.1
$19.18 ฿641
246.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.58 €12.08
$5.59 ฿187
142.93%
Cappuccino
$1.82 €1.62
$1.72 ฿57.6
5.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.47
$0.64 ฿21.54
332.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 €0.97
$0.33 ฿11.18
230.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.56 €4.94
$2.36 ฿78.7
135.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 €3.87
$3.90 ฿130
11.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
L'Aquila
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 €1.27
$2.05 ฿68.6
-30.73%
White Bread (500g)
$2.88 €2.56
$1.40 ฿46.70
105.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 €2.00
$1.28 ฿42.89
75.00%
Eggs
$3.39 €3.02
$2.25 ฿75.3
50.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.89 €15.91
$16.94 ฿566
5.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.31 €10.95
$2.74 ฿91.6
349.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.90 €15.92
$9.36 ฿313
91.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$2.40 ฿80.3
-12.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.01 ฿33.92
90.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 €1.94
$1.61 ฿53.9
36.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.84 €2.53
$1.52 ฿50.7
86.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.67 €1.48
$1.28 ฿42.90
30.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.74 €1.54
$1.11 ฿37.22
56.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.38
$0.72 ฿24.09
115.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 €0.35
$0.52 ฿17.54
-23.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.26 €5.57
$4.33 ฿145
44.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.52 €4.91
$17.73 ฿593
-68.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.63 ฿54.4
-22.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.60
$2.85 ฿95.3
-36.84%
🚌 Getting Around
L'Aquila
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.72 €1.53
$0.85 ฿28.31
102.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.51 €34.26
$53.9 ฿1,801
-28.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.31 €4.72
$1.17 ฿39.18
353.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 €1.27
$0.57 ฿19.00
150.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.84 €22.09
$2.37 ฿79.2
948.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.01 €1.79
$1.45 ฿48.32
38.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K €30.6K
$20.5K ฿684.3K
68.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7K €31.8K
$26.5K ฿886.1K
34.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
L'Aquila
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$197 €175
$62.3 ฿2,083
215.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.90 €13.26
$12.27 ฿410
21.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.36 €27.90
$19.97 ฿668
57.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
L'Aquila
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.8 €48.71
$37.91 ฿1,267
44.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.12 €25.01
$3.76 ฿126
647.87%
Cinema Ticket
$8.45 €7.52
$6.71 ฿224
25.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
L'Aquila
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$135 €120
$797 ฿26.6K
-83.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.4K €11.1K
$14.8K ฿495.7K
-16.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
L'Aquila
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.4 €88.4
$53.3 ฿1,780
86.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.44 €31.53
$25.05 ฿837
41.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.3 €87.4
$91.6 ฿3,062
7.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 €98.4
$73.5 ฿2,455
50.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
L'Aquila
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$546 €486
$464 ฿15.5K
17.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$431 €383
$305 ฿10.2K
41.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$842 €749
$915 ฿30.6K
-8.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$691 €615
$552 ฿18.5K
25.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,781 €2,474
$1,912 ฿63.9K
45.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,653 €1,471
$1,438 ฿48.1K
14.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
L'Aquila
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,848 €1,643
$595 ฿19.9K
210.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.02
5.57
-45.78%

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

Last update for L'Aquila: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
L'Aquila
$431
Chiang Mai
$305 29.3% $126
Groceries & Markets
L'Aquila
$320
Chiang Mai
$238 25.6% $82
Eating Out
L'Aquila
$295
Chiang Mai
$79 73.2% $216
Monthly Utilities & Internet
L'Aquila
$243
Chiang Mai
$95 61.1% $148
Clothing & Footwear
L'Aquila
$155
Chiang Mai
$110 29.2% $45
Sport & Entertainment
L'Aquila
$72
Chiang Mai
$51 28.4% $20
Getting Around
L'Aquila
$58
Chiang Mai
$61 6% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in L'Aquila versus $464 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 210% higher in L'Aquila, 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 $66.0 in L'Aquila versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $238 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 L'Aquila
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
21:54 9:54 PM
02:54 2:54 AM
5 h ahead of L'Aquila
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
69,753
127,240
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • L'Aquila Chiang Mai 8,260 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • L'Aquila
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
L'Aquila vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, L'Aquila or Chiang Mai?
L'Aquila costs about 68% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in L'Aquila and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,360 per month in L'Aquila and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, L'Aquila or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in L'Aquila and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $135 per month in L'Aquila and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in L'Aquila or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 34% more in L'Aquila, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in L'Aquila or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in L'Aquila at $1,573. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in L'Aquila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, L'Aquila or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,573 in L'Aquila. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is L'Aquila compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to L'Aquila or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, L'Aquila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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