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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,103 per month in Rakvere vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,671 per month in Rakvere vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,240 per month in Rakvere vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rakvere costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rakvere and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Rakvere 19% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 €10.03

$2.08 ฿69.5

453.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.6 €58.0

$19.61 ฿655

239.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.50 €10.02

$5.67 ฿189

102.82%

Cappuccino

$3.94 €3.44

$1.81 ฿60.3

117.68%

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

$2.47 €2.15

$0.77 ฿25.65

220.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 €1.42

$0.35 ฿11.53

365.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 €4.99

$2.21 ฿73.9

158.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 €4.06

$3.79 ฿127

22.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 €0.57

$2.05 ฿68.4

-67.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.67

$1.51 ฿50.6

26.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 €2.07

$1.40 ฿46.69

70.00%

Eggs

$2.03 €1.77

$2.26 ฿75.4

-10.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.20 €11.51

$16.19 ฿540

-18.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 €5.96

$2.90 ฿96.7

135.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 €4.08

$9.42 ฿314

-50.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 €1.90

$2.68 ฿89.4

-18.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 €1.25

$1.09 ฿36.37

32.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 €1.87

$1.62 ฿54.0

32.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 €2.13

$1.46 ฿48.74

67.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 €0.68

$1.28 ฿42.65

-39.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 €0.52

$1.06 ฿35.31

-44.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.72 ฿23.94

161.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.08

$0.53 ฿17.56

133.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €6.00

$4.23 ฿141

62.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 €9.34

$18.29 ฿611

-41.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.63 ฿54.4

28.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.18

$2.90 ฿96.8

-13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 €3.26

$1.17 ฿39.14

219.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.93

$0.58 ฿19.30

84.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.24 €23.75

$2.39 ฿79.6

1039.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.45 ฿48.41

36.55%

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

$29.3K €25.5K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

39.24%

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

$31.1K €27.1K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

17.69%

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

$314 €274

$63.7 ฿2,125

394.03%

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

$18.52 €16.14

$12.89 ฿430

43.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.87 €30.40

$20.52 ฿685

69.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 €49.62

$39.02 ฿1,302

45.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.02 €20.06

$3.92 ฿131

487.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.21 €7.16

$6.58 ฿220

24.77%

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

$447 €389

$784 ฿26.2K

-43.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.5K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-17.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €98.6

$55.1 ฿1,840

105.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 €43.60

$24.74 ฿826

102.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €96.2

$94.1 ฿3,142

17.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$74.0 ฿2,469

64.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 €1,127

$602 ฿20.1K

114.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

5.57

-29.44%

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

Last update for Rakvere: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 115% higher in Rakvere, 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 $67.0 in Rakvere versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Rakvere vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Rakvere wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Rakvere costs about 18% 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 $1,654 per month in Rakvere and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Rakvere and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Rakvere – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Rakvere at $1,103. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rakvere it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,103 in Rakvere. 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, Rakvere makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.