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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,948 per month in Modena vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,210 per month in Modena vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,472 per month in Modena vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Modena costs about 105% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Modena sits 41% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.71 €20.44

$2.10 ฿69.3

1029.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.8 €81.7

$19.84 ฿656

377.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.74 €11.85

$5.79 ฿191

137.31%

Cappuccino

$2.04 €1.75

$1.83 ฿60.4

11.48%

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

$3.17 €2.74

$0.78 ฿25.61

306.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.31 ฿10.37

451.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 €6.18

$2.34 ฿77.2

206.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 €4.91

$3.70 ฿122

53.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.03 ฿67.1

-25.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.28

$1.60 ฿52.7

65.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.42 ฿46.75

25.35%

Eggs

$5.33 €4.59

$2.18 ฿71.9

144.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.68 €17.83

$15.91 ฿526

29.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.63 €12.61

$3.07 ฿102

376.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.49 €19.39

$9.87 ฿326

127.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.63 ฿86.8

3.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$1.10 ฿36.19

142.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.90

$1.63 ฿53.8

106.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 €2.75

$1.53 ฿50.6

108.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 €2.15

$1.24 ฿41.13

101.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.13 ฿37.37

51.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.21

$0.74 ฿24.38

90.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.65

$0.50 ฿16.48

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.94 €5.98

$4.28 ฿141

62.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.19 €7.92

$17.97 ฿594

-48.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.70 ฿56.1

-7.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.90 ฿95.7

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.94 ฿31.13

153.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.55 €34.95

$55.3 ฿1,827

-26.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.97 €6.00

$1.23 ฿40.76

466.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.26

$0.53 ฿17.66

175.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.73 €29.08

$2.40 ฿79.3

1305.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.44 ฿47.55

46.53%

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

$37.7K €32.5K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

77.71%

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

$37.3K €32.2K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

36.75%

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

$197 €169

$64.9 ฿2,145

202.74%

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

$13.53 €11.66

$13.35 ฿441

1.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.87 €27.47

$20.83 ฿688

53.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.9 €69.7

$40.42 ฿1,336

100.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.55 €20.30

$3.95 ฿131

496.20%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 €10.05

$6.71 ฿222

73.62%

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

$606 €522

$787 ฿26.0K

-23.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K €13.2K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

1.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 €74.5

$56.2 ฿1,858

53.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.27 €38.16

$24.95 ฿824

77.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.1

$92.7 ฿3,063

10.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 €95.9

$75.1 ฿2,482

48.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 €759

$484 ฿16.0K

81.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 €592

$287 ฿9,491

139.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 €1,540

$910 ฿30.1K

96.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 €1,233

$531 ฿17.5K

169.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 €3,172

$1,980 ฿65.4K

85.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 €1,912

$1,451 ฿47.9K

52.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,189 €1,887

$605 ฿20.0K

261.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.29

5.57

-40.93%

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

Last update for Modena: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Modena 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 262% higher in Modena, 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 $95.0 in Modena versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $242 – 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

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

Modena costs about 105% 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 $2,922 per month in Modena and $1,426 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 $606 per month in Modena and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Modena, 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 $950, than in Modena at $1,948. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Modena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,948 in Modena. 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, Modena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.