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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,090 per month in Monza vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,271 per month in Monza vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,452 per month in Monza vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Monza costs about 120% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Monza sits 52% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.73 €18.73

$2.10 ฿69.3

934.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 €80.3

$19.84 ฿656

369.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 €9.83

$5.79 ฿191

96.89%

Cappuccino

$2.00 €1.72

$1.83 ฿60.4

9.29%

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

$3.99 €3.44

$0.78 ฿25.61

411.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.20

$0.31 ฿10.37

351.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 €4.98

$2.34 ฿77.2

147.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 €5.44

$3.70 ฿122

70.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.28

$2.03 ฿67.1

-26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.60 ฿52.7

48.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 €3.29

$1.42 ฿46.75

169.01%

Eggs

$3.47 €2.99

$2.18 ฿71.9

59.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.37 €20.15

$15.91 ฿526

46.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.60 €12.59

$3.07 ฿102

375.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 €19.85

$9.87 ฿326

133.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$2.63 ฿86.8

10.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.10 ฿36.19

77.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 €3.06

$1.63 ฿53.8

117.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 €2.98

$1.53 ฿50.6

125.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.24 ฿41.13

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.13 ฿37.37

83.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 €1.64

$0.74 ฿24.38

158.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 €0.59

$0.50 ฿16.48

36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 €5.91

$4.28 ฿141

60.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 €4.86

$17.97 ฿594

-68.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.70 ฿56.1

12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.90 ฿95.7

-19.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 €2.63

$0.94 ฿31.13

224.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.7 €60.1

$55.3 ฿1,827

26.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 €7.10

$1.23 ฿40.76

569.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 €1.09

$0.53 ฿17.66

137.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.29 €31.28

$2.40 ฿79.3

1412.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.85

$1.44 ฿47.55

48.61%

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

$37.0K €31.9K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

74.43%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

32.57%

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

$201 €173

$64.9 ฿2,145

208.89%

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

$10.78 €9.30

$13.35 ฿441

-19.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 €24.69

$20.83 ฿688

37.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.33 €42.52

$40.42 ฿1,336

22.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.31 €35.61

$3.95 ฿131

945.82%

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 €11.42

$6.71 ฿222

97.32%

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

$872 €752

$787 ฿26.0K

10.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K €17.4K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

33.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 €84.9

$56.2 ฿1,858

75.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.22 €38.11

$24.95 ฿824

77.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.6

$92.7 ฿3,063

24.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 €143

$75.1 ฿2,482

121.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 €935

$484 ฿16.0K

124.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 €690

$287 ฿9,491

178.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 €1,706

$910 ฿30.1K

117.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 €1,130

$531 ฿17.5K

146.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,515 €3,892

$1,980 ฿65.4K

128.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,057 €2,635

$1,451 ฿47.9K

110.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,084 €1,796

$605 ฿20.0K

244.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

5.57

-43.09%

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

Last update for Monza: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,085 in Monza 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 244% higher in Monza, 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 $93.0 in Monza versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 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

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

Monza costs about 120% 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 $3,135 per month in Monza 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 $872 per month in Monza 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 61% more in Monza, 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 Monza at $2,090. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monza it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $2,090 in Monza. 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, Monza makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.