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 $1,808 per month in Metz vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,756 per month in Metz vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,705 per month in Metz vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Metz costs about 109% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Metz sits 35% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.20 €14.79

$1.94 ฿63.5

786.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 €61.5

$18.64 ฿609

283.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 €10.08

$7.82 ฿255

49.87%

Cappuccino

$3.38 €2.90

$1.95 ฿63.8

73.33%

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

$4.14 €3.56

$0.85 ฿27.77

387.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 €1.96

$0.35 ฿11.58

551.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 €4.04

$2.13 ฿69.6

120.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 €4.38

$3.73 ฿122

36.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.71 ฿56.0

-40.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.63 ฿53.2

28.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.14 ฿37.15

63.16%

Eggs

$4.99 €4.29

$1.93 ฿63.1

158.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.92 €20.58

$16.21 ฿530

47.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.17 €12.19

$3.12 ฿102

354.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.15

$10.90 ฿356

82.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.75 ฿90.0

-37.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.21 ฿39.52

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 €2.99

$1.62 ฿53.0

114.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 €3.24

$1.59 ฿51.8

137.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 €2.35

$1.40 ฿45.70

95.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 €2.65

$1.17 ฿38.17

164.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.66 ฿21.60

175.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.53 ฿17.22

62.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 €10.01

$4.69 ฿153

147.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 €8.06

$18.66 ฿609

-49.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.34

$1.80 ฿58.8

51.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.44

$3.23 ฿106

23.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 €1.93

$0.90 ฿29.26

148.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.3 €60.4

$19.21 ฿628

265.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 €4.06

$1.41 ฿45.91

234.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.29 ฿42.12

31.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.41 €39.06

$7.84 ฿256

479.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.27 ฿41.58

65.35%

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

$31.9K €27.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

49.75%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

65.16%

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

$150 €129

$69.1 ฿2,256

117.56%

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

$16.69 €14.36

$14.08 ฿460

18.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.53 €15.08

$18.00 ฿588

-2.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.55 €15.10

$41.06 ฿1,341

-57.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 €15.81

$6.96 ฿227

164.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 €9.89

$5.92 ฿193

94.09%

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

$871 €749

$299 ฿9,766

191.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,565 €7,368

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-42.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 €73.7

$54.7 ฿1,787

56.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.24 €19.99

$26.77 ฿874

-13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 €78.8

$85.0 ฿2,776

7.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 €136

$70.6 ฿2,306

124.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 €652

$428 ฿14.0K

77.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 €586

$237 ฿7,752

187.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 €1,006

$801 ฿26.2K

45.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 €873

$515 ฿16.8K

96.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,730 €3,209

$1,975 ฿64.5K

88.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,050 €2,623

$1,475 ฿48.2K

106.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,403 €2,927

$617 ฿20.2K

451.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

-29.00%

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

Last update for Metz: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $758 in Metz versus $428 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 451% 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 $72.0 in Metz versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $246 – 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 109% 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 $2,712 per month in Metz and $1,300 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 $871 per month in Metz and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 $866, than in Metz at $1,808. 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 $866 versus $1,808 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.