Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mariehamn and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,740 in Mariehamn, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mariehamn
🇦🇽 Aland Islands
$1,740
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$906
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mariehamn 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 Mariehamn and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,740 per month in Mariehamn vs $906 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Mariehamn $1,740
  • Chiang Mai $906

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Mariehamn vs $1,385 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Mariehamn $2,582
  • Chiang Mai $1,385

A family of three spends $3,425 per month in Mariehamn vs $1,864 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Mariehamn $3,425
  • Chiang Mai $1,864

Mariehamn costs about 92% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Mariehamn sits 30% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mariehamn
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.24 €13.59
$2.13 ฿71.7
615.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.9 €75.7
$19.40 ฿652
337.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.68 €10.42
$5.47 ฿184
113.53%
Cappuccino
$5.32 €4.75
$1.68 ฿56.7
216.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 €2.71
$0.66 ฿22.19
360.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 €2.27
$0.34 ฿11.56
650.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.14 €8.15
$2.42 ฿81.3
277.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.82 €7.86
$3.73 ฿126
136.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mariehamn
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 €1.19
$2.06 ฿69.2
-34.95%
White Bread (500g)
$3.15 €2.81
$1.46 ฿48.98
115.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.68 €2.39
$1.35 ฿45.27
98.52%
Eggs
$3.10 €2.76
$2.27 ฿76.3
36.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.81 €10.53
$16.31 ฿548
-27.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.80 €8.74
$2.70 ฿90.7
262.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.45 €13.77
$9.20 ฿309
67.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.28
$2.39 ฿80.5
7.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 €1.78
$1.04 ฿34.80
92.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.40 €2.14
$1.60 ฿53.9
50.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 €3.48
$1.44 ฿48.57
170.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.30 ฿43.77
5.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.11 ฿37.45
14.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.19 €1.95
$0.70 ฿23.65
212.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 €1.92
$0.51 ฿17.06
323.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.71 €9.55
$4.13 ฿139
159.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.77 €12.27
$17.78 ฿598
-22.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.03
$1.63 ฿54.9
108.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 €2.58
$2.87 ฿96.4
0.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Mariehamn
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.17 €1.94
$0.86 ฿28.88
152.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.1 €67.8
$53.2 ฿1,787
43.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.65 €6.82
$1.22 ฿40.99
527.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.84 €2.53
$0.56 ฿18.89
407.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.31 ฿77.8
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.50 ฿50.4
48.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$20.9K ฿701.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.7K ฿898.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mariehamn
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €200
$61.3 ฿2,059
266.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.62 €28.20
$12.50 ฿420
152.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.35 €35.08
$20.36 ฿685
93.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mariehamn
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.94 ฿1,275
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.77 ฿127
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.46 €13.78
$6.60 ฿222
134.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mariehamn
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$774 ฿26.0K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.4K ฿485.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mariehamn
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.6 €79.0
$54.8 ฿1,842
61.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.32 €29.70
$25.26 ฿849
31.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 €101
$90.6 ฿3,045
25.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.2 €70.6
$73.3 ฿2,463
8.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mariehamn
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$649 €578
$459 ฿15.4K
41.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$546 €487
$294 ฿9,877
85.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,004 €895
$919 ฿30.9K
9.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$714 €637
$552 ฿18.6K
29.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,630 €2,345
$1,917 ฿64.5K
37.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,469 €1,310
$1,445 ฿48.6K
1.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mariehamn
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,643 €2,356
$592 ฿19.9K
346.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.35
5.57
-21.90%

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

Last update for Mariehamn: October 4, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mariehamn
$546
Chiang Mai
$294 46.2% $253
Groceries & Markets
Mariehamn
$344
Chiang Mai
$236 31.5% $108
Eating Out
Mariehamn
$307
Chiang Mai
$77 74.8% $229
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mariehamn
$296
Chiang Mai
$94 68.2% $202
Clothing & Footwear
Mariehamn
$142
Chiang Mai
$110 22.5% $32
Getting Around
Mariehamn
$107
Chiang Mai
$61 43.1% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Mariehamn
$31 *
Chiang Mai
$51 65.4% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $649 in Mariehamn versus $459 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 346% higher in Mariehamn, 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 $85.0 in Mariehamn versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $236 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇽 Mariehamn
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
08:56 8:56 AM
12:56 12:56 PM
4 h ahead of Mariehamn
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,817 Capital
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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.71 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mariehamn Chiang Mai 7,600 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mariehamn
  • 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
Mariehamn vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mariehamn or Chiang Mai?
Mariehamn costs about 92% 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 Mariehamn and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,609 per month in Mariehamn and $1,359 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Mariehamn 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 expensive is transport in Mariehamn compared to Chiang Mai?
Public transport costs about 43% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Are groceries more expensive in Mariehamn or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 46% more in Mariehamn, 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 Mariehamn or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Mariehamn at $1,740. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mariehamn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mariehamn or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $906 versus $1,740 in Mariehamn. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Mariehamn 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 Mariehamn or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mariehamn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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