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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,906 per month in Metz vs $942 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,887 per month in Metz vs $1,427 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,869 per month in Metz vs $1,912 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Metz costs about 102% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Metz sits 41% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.38 €15.18

$2.08 ฿68.9

735.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 €60.1

$19.91 ฿659

245.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 €9.90

$5.58 ฿185

103.23%

Cappuccino

$3.68 €3.21

$1.74 ฿57.5

111.49%

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

$4.05 €3.54

$0.72 ฿23.82

462.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 €2.22

$0.32 ฿10.59

693.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 €4.56

$2.25 ฿74.5

132.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 €5.05

$3.81 ฿126

51.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 €0.96

$2.02 ฿66.8

-45.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.57 ฿52.0

56.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 €2.49

$1.40 ฿46.21

103.57%

Eggs

$4.80 €4.19

$2.15 ฿71.3

123.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.53 €19.67

$15.63 ฿518

44.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.51 €12.67

$2.95 ฿97.6

391.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.74 €19.86

$9.49 ฿314

139.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 €2.85

$2.60 ฿86.2

25.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.97

$1.08 ฿35.80

109.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 €2.66

$1.59 ฿52.7

91.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 €3.77

$1.45 ฿48.09

197.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$1.28 ฿42.26

56.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 €2.26

$1.11 ฿36.78

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.73 ฿24.04

157.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.76

$0.50 ฿16.54

74.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.95 €13.06

$4.27 ฿141

250.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.41 €7.34

$17.67 ฿585

-52.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 €2.32

$1.68 ฿55.7

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.12

$2.80 ฿92.8

27.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 €1.92

$0.87 ฿28.64

152.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.9 €49.66

$54.2 ฿1,794

4.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.05 €7.91

$1.21 ฿40.15

647.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.27

$0.54 ฿17.84

170.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.28 €39.54

$2.39 ฿79.0

1794.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.84

$1.46 ฿48.46

44.52%

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

$36.1K €31.6K

$21.0K ฿695.7K

72.00%

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

$35.9K €31.4K

$26.7K ฿883.8K

34.58%

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

$157 €137

$62.1 ฿2,055

153.39%

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

$16.59 €14.48

$12.93 ฿428

28.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.11 €20.18

$20.61 ฿682

12.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.04 €17.50

$39.21 ฿1,298

-48.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.57 €10.11

$3.77 ฿125

206.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 €10.09

$6.52 ฿216

77.15%

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

$1,839 €1,606

$803 ฿26.6K

129.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.5K €23.1K

$14.7K ฿486.6K

80.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.2 €85.7

$55.9 ฿1,850

75.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.51 €19.66

$25.51 ฿845

-11.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 €85.5

$91.1 ฿3,015

7.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €144

$73.3 ฿2,427

124.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 €678

$484 ฿16.0K

60.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 €625

$288 ฿9,542

148.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 €1,017

$885 ฿29.3K

31.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 €965

$523 ฿17.3K

111.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,771 €3,293

$1,989 ฿65.9K

89.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,968 €2,592

$1,440 ฿47.7K

106.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,345 €2,921

$603 ฿20.0K

454.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

5.57

-41.29%

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

Last update for Metz: September 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Metz versus $484 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 455% higher in Metz, 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 $69.0 in Metz versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $405 vs $238 – 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

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

Metz costs about 102% 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 $2,858 per month in Metz and $1,414 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 $1,839 per month in Metz and $803 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% more in Metz, 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 $942, than in Metz at $1,906. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Metz it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $942 versus $1,906 in Metz. 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, Metz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.