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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,997 per month in Nivelles vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,930 per month in Nivelles vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,864 per month in Nivelles vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nivelles costs about 130% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Nivelles sits 49% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.82 €11.99

$1.94 ฿63.8

612.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.2 €74.7

$18.64 ฿611

362.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.12

$7.82 ฿256

49.23%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.62

$1.95 ฿64.1

113.85%

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

$3.50 €3.04

$0.85 ฿27.90

311.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 €2.83

$0.35 ฿11.64

831.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 €4.10

$2.13 ฿69.9

122.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.11

$3.73 ฿122

57.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.71 ฿56.2

-27.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 €1.68

$1.63 ฿53.4

19.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 €2.06

$1.14 ฿37.32

107.89%

Eggs

$4.11 €3.56

$1.93 ฿63.4

112.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 €14.96

$16.21 ฿532

6.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.93 €10.35

$3.12 ฿102

282.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.86 €16.36

$10.90 ฿357

73.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 €2.73

$2.75 ฿90.4

14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$1.21 ฿39.70

104.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.27

$1.62 ฿53.2

61.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 €2.66

$1.59 ฿52.1

93.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.59

$1.40 ฿45.91

30.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 €1.80

$1.17 ฿38.34

77.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.19

$0.66 ฿21.70

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.82

$0.53 ฿17.30

77.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.91 €11.20

$4.69 ฿154

175.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 €6.08

$18.66 ฿612

-62.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.80 ฿59.0

7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.61

$3.23 ฿106

-6.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.48

$0.90 ฿29.39

217.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 €49.12

$19.21 ฿630

194.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.07 €9.61

$1.41 ฿46.13

685.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 €2.38

$1.29 ฿42.31

112.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.3 €46.21

$7.84 ฿257

579.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.27 ฿41.77

50.39%

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

$33.8K €29.4K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

59.03%

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

$38.0K €33.0K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

71.19%

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

$218 €189

$69.1 ฿2,266

215.27%

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

$22.70 €19.70

$14.08 ฿462

61.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.71 €43.13

$18.00 ฿591

176.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.23 €34.03

$41.06 ฿1,347

-4.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.94 €14.70

$6.96 ฿228

143.39%

Cinema Ticket

$16.40 €14.23

$5.92 ฿194

177.03%

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

$585 €507

$299 ฿9,811

95.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K €16.7K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

28.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 €70.0

$54.7 ฿1,795

47.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.82 €18.93

$26.77 ฿878

-18.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.6

$85.0 ฿2,788

24.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 €140

$70.6 ฿2,316

129.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 €782

$428 ฿14.0K

110.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 €642

$237 ฿7,787

211.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 €1,195

$801 ฿26.3K

71.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 €969

$515 ฿16.9K

116.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,182 €3,629

$1,975 ฿64.8K

111.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,453 €2,996

$1,475 ฿48.4K

134.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,762 €3,264

$617 ฿20.3K

509.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.74

-25.20%

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

Last update for Nivelles: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Nivelles 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 509% higher in Nivelles, 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 $86.0 in Nivelles versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 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

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

Nivelles costs about 130% 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 $2,995 per month in Nivelles 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 $585 per month in Nivelles 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 37% more in Nivelles, 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 Nivelles at $1,997. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nivelles it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,997 in Nivelles. 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, Nivelles makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.