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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,654 per month in Leiden vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,897 per month in Leiden vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,140 per month in Leiden vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Leiden costs about 208% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Leiden sits 99% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.32 €15.13

$1.96 ฿65.7

783.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 €75.0

$18.35 ฿616

367.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.73 €12.00

$7.48 ฿251

83.56%

Cappuccino

$3.76 €3.28

$2.02 ฿67.7

86.14%

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

$3.87 €3.38

$0.85 ฿28.45

355.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 €2.49

$0.36 ฿11.94

691.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 €6.05

$2.14 ฿71.7

223.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 €5.10

$3.59 ฿121

62.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.65 ฿55.4

-23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 €1.97

$1.57 ฿52.6

43.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 €2.76

$1.19 ฿39.95

165.55%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.13

$1.94 ฿65.0

143.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 €13.19

$16.19 ฿544

-6.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.45 €14.37

$2.99 ฿100

450.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.43 €15.23

$10.94 ฿367

59.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.71 ฿91.0

-13.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 €2.26

$1.17 ฿39.18

121.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.69 ฿56.6

13.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 €3.50

$1.60 ฿53.9

150.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.83

$1.38 ฿46.45

51.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.20 ฿40.38

65.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 €1.08

$0.67 ฿22.46

85.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.64

$0.56 ฿18.70

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.19 €11.53

$4.64 ฿156

184.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 €6.23

$17.62 ฿591

-59.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.86 ฿62.4

-20.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 €2.31

$3.30 ฿111

-19.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 €2.62

$0.88 ฿29.63

240.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.3 €76.3

$19.34 ฿649

351.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 €5.03

$1.36 ฿45.82

322.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.34 ฿44.90

58.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.09 €29.78

$8.21 ฿276

315.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 €1.95

$1.22 ฿41.11

82.79%

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

$29.6K €25.8K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

38.44%

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

$28.3K €24.7K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

25.70%

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

$286 €250

$70.7 ฿2,372

304.94%

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

$21.72 €18.97

$14.04 ฿471

54.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 €45.20

$17.49 ฿587

195.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 €37.07

$42.15 ฿1,415

0.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 €17.35

$6.88 ฿231

188.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.03 €12.26

$5.92 ฿199

136.99%

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

$2,118 €1,850

$309 ฿10.4K

586.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

9.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €97.3

$55.8 ฿1,872

99.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.08 €41.14

$26.11 ฿877

80.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €101

$83.0 ฿2,787

39.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €131

$70.5 ฿2,365

112.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 €1,355

$432 ฿14.5K

258.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 €1,142

$239 ฿8,020

446.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 €2,069

$822 ฿27.6K

188.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 €1,742

$512 ฿17.2K

289.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,792 €6,808

$1,915 ฿64.3K

307.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,931 €5,182

$1,467 ฿49.3K

304.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,916 €3,421

$579 ฿19.4K

575.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

-20.20%

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

Last update for Leiden: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,550 in Leiden versus $432 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 576% higher in Leiden, 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 $86.0 in Leiden versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $243 – 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

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

Leiden costs about 208% 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 $3,981 per month in Leiden and $1,292 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 $2,118 per month in Leiden and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Leiden, 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 $861, than in Leiden at $2,654. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leiden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,654 in Leiden. 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, Leiden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.