Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melissia and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,449 in Melissia, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Melissia, Greece
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Melissia
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,449
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,449 per month in Melissia vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Melissia $1,449
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Melissia vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Melissia $2,216
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $2,983 per month in Melissia vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Melissia $2,983
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Melissia costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Melissia sits 6% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Melissia
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.12 €9.96
$2.24 ฿75.6
396.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.8 €51.8
$19.00 ฿641
204.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.82 €7.90
$5.55 ฿187
58.92%
Cappuccino
$4.19 €3.75
$1.67 ฿56.5
150.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 €2.09
$0.64 ฿21.54
265.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 €0.53
$0.31 ฿10.31
90.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.43 €3.97
$2.36 ฿79.5
87.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.89 €4.38
$3.66 ฿124
33.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melissia
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 €1.62
$1.95 ฿65.7
-7.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 €1.30
$1.44 ฿48.46
0.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.67 €2.39
$1.33 ฿45.03
100.75%
Eggs
$5.27 €4.72
$2.28 ฿77.1
131.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.08 €10.82
$16.45 ฿555
-26.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.06 €9.01
$2.78 ฿93.9
261.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.36 €17.34
$9.31 ฿314
107.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 €1.99
$2.35 ฿79.4
-5.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.70
$0.97 ฿32.79
95.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.35 €1.21
$1.60 ฿53.9
-15.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 €1.91
$1.50 ฿50.6
42.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.28 ฿43.11
-9.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 €0.98
$1.10 ฿37.18
-0.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.90 €0.80
$0.71 ฿23.82
26.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 €1.04
$0.49 ฿16.36
136.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.64 €5.06
$4.14 ฿140
36.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.93 €8.89
$17.52 ฿591
-43.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.86
$1.61 ฿54.5
28.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 €2.14
$2.78 ฿93.9
-14.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Melissia
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.23
$0.87 ฿29.30
57.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.8 €49.09
$54.1 ฿1,825
1.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 €3.99
$1.16 ฿39.04
284.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$0.53 ฿17.80
96.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.50 €14.78
$2.42 ฿81.7
581.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.21 €1.98
$1.45 ฿48.88
52.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K €24.7K
$21.1K ฿710.5K
30.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K €21.8K
$26.9K ฿909.0K
-9.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melissia
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$199 €178
$62.2 ฿2,098
220.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.51 €22.85
$12.17 ฿411
109.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.69 €25.69
$20.12 ฿679
42.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melissia
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.0 €47.49
$37.31 ฿1,259
42.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.20 €19.88
$3.77 ฿127
488.86%
Cinema Ticket
$9.56 €8.56
$6.49 ฿219
47.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melissia
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$466 €417
$736 ฿24.8K
-36.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,741 €4,246
$14.8K ฿498.2K
-67.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melissia
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.4 €80.9
$53.4 ฿1,801
69.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.22 €35.13
$24.64 ฿831
59.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €90.1
$91.5 ฿3,087
10.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$71.9 ฿2,427
72.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melissia
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$461 €413
$482 ฿16.3K
-4.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 €339
$309 ฿10.4K
22.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$730 €654
$1,006 ฿33.9K
-27.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$617 €552
$633 ฿21.4K
-2.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,471 €2,213
$2,363 ฿79.7K
4.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,934 €1,733
$1,589 ฿53.6K
21.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melissia
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,368 €1,225
$590 ฿19.9K
131.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
5.57
-19.57%

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

Last update for Melissia: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Melissia
$379
Chiang Mai
$309 18.4% $70
Groceries & Markets
Melissia
$306
Chiang Mai
$234 23.3% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melissia
$253
Chiang Mai
$94 62.7% $159
Eating Out
Melissia
$209
Chiang Mai
$78 62.9% $132
Clothing & Footwear
Melissia
$160
Chiang Mai
$109 31.9% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Melissia
$72
Chiang Mai
$50 30.3% $22
Getting Around
Melissia
$70
Chiang Mai
$61 12.3% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Melissia versus $482 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 in Melissia are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58 in Melissia versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $306 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Melissia
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
03:37 3:37 AM
08:37 8:37 AM
5 h ahead of Melissia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,588
127,240
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Melissia Chiang Mai 7,460 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Melissia
  • 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
Melissia vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Melissia or Chiang Mai?
Melissia costs about 55% 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 Melissia and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Melissia and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Melissia compared to Chiang Mai?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $461 in Melissia and $482 in Chiang Mai. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How do dining costs compare in Melissia and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $58 in Melissia and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Melissia or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 30% more in Melissia, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Melissia or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,449 in Melissia and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Melissia or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,449 in Melissia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Melissia compared to Chiang Mai?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Melissia or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melissia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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