Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Escaldes and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Escaldes and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Les Escaldes vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,257 per month in Les Escaldes vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,067 per month in Les Escaldes vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Les Escaldes costs about 68% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Les Escaldes sits 8% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.35 €13.41

$1.96 ฿65.7

683.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 €27.88

$18.35 ฿616

73.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 €5.94

$7.48 ฿251

-9.09%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

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

$1.76 €1.54

$0.85 ฿28.45

107.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$0.36 ฿11.94

213.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.19 ฿39.95

33.61%

Eggs

$1.71 €1.49

$1.94 ฿65.0

-11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 €7.19

$16.19 ฿544

-49.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.56 ฿18.70

105.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$6.96 €6.08

$17.62 ฿591

-60.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 €44.86

$19.34 ฿649

165.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.36 ฿45.82

67.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

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

$39.89 €34.85

$70.7 ฿2,372

-43.55%

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

$14.04 ฿471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 €46.00

$17.49 ฿587

201.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.8 €79.3

$42.15 ฿1,415

115.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.46 €10.01

$6.88 ฿231

66.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €8.04

$5.92 ฿199

55.41%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.4

$55.8 ฿1,872

85.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 €51.2

$26.11 ฿877

124.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 €69.9

$83.0 ฿2,787

-3.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 €80.9

$70.5 ฿2,365

31.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 €825

$432 ฿14.5K

118.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 €716

$239 ฿8,020

243.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 €1,886

$822 ฿27.6K

162.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 €1,518

$512 ฿17.2K

239.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K €9,840

$1,467 ฿49.3K

667.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,678 €2,340

$579 ฿19.4K

362.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Les Escaldes: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $944 in Les Escaldes 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 362% higher in Les Escaldes, 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 $32.00 in Les Escaldes versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $66.0 in Les Escaldes vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Les Escaldes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Les Escaldes vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Les Escaldes costs about 68% 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 $2,170 per month in Les Escaldes 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.

Public transport costs about 165% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 271% cheaper in Les Escaldes – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Les Escaldes at $1,447. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Les Escaldes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,447 in Les Escaldes. 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, Les Escaldes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.