Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sparta and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,351 in Sparta, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Sparta, Greece
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Sparta
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,351
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sparta and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sparta and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,351 per month in Sparta vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Sparta $1,351
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,993 per month in Sparta vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Sparta $1,993
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Sparta vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Sparta $2,636
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Sparta costs about 44% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sparta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.87 €8.86
$2.24 ฿75.7
340.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.23 €42.42
$19.00 ฿642
148.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.93 €7.12
$5.55 ฿188
42.88%
Cappuccino
$3.34 €3.00
$1.67 ฿56.6
100.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 €1.99
$0.64 ฿21.56
245.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 €0.52
$0.31 ฿10.32
87.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.45 €3.99
$2.36 ฿79.6
88.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 €3.97
$3.66 ฿124
20.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sparta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 €1.49
$1.95 ฿65.8
-15.38%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 €1.23
$1.44 ฿48.51
-4.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.54 €2.28
$1.33 ฿45.07
90.98%
Eggs
$5.14 €4.62
$2.28 ฿77.1
125.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.34 €11.08
$16.45 ฿556
-24.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.26 €9.22
$2.78 ฿94.0
269.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.84 €14.23
$9.31 ฿314
70.14%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 €2.00
$2.35 ฿79.5
-5.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 €1.92
$0.97 ฿32.82
119.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 €1.49
$1.60 ฿53.9
3.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.01 €1.81
$1.50 ฿50.7
34.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.99
$1.28 ฿43.15
-14.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 €1.05
$1.10 ฿37.22
6.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 €0.77
$0.71 ฿23.84
19.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 €1.03
$0.49 ฿16.38
134.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.02 €4.51
$4.14 ฿140
21.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.16 €6.43
$17.52 ฿592
-59.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.63
$1.61 ฿54.5
12.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 €3.04
$2.78 ฿94.0
21.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Sparta
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 €1.21
$0.87 ฿29.33
55.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.1 €47.67
$54.1 ฿1,827
-1.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.38 €3.94
$1.16 ฿39.08
277.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.98
$0.53 ฿17.82
105.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.50 €11.23
$2.42 ฿81.8
416.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.17 €1.95
$1.45 ฿48.93
49.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5K €22.0K
$21.1K ฿711.2K
16.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.2K €21.7K
$26.9K ฿909.8K
-10.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sparta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 €152
$62.2 ฿2,100
171.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.61 €20.31
$12.17 ฿411
85.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.11 €24.35
$20.12 ฿680
34.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sparta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.4 €45.28
$37.31 ฿1,260
35.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.41 €32.70
$3.77 ฿127
865.78%
Cinema Ticket
$9.38 €8.42
$6.49 ฿219
44.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sparta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$233 €209
$736 ฿24.9K
-68.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,794 €2,510
$14.8K ฿498.6K
-81.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sparta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.4 €74.0
$53.4 ฿1,802
54.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.30 €32.60
$24.64 ฿832
47.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.5 €72.3
$91.5 ฿3,089
-11.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.4 €81.2
$71.9 ฿2,429
25.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sparta
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$494 €443
$482 ฿16.3K
2.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$389 €349
$309 ฿10.4K
25.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$728 €654
$1,006 ฿34.0K
-27.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$504 €453
$633 ฿21.4K
-20.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,483 €2,231
$2,363 ฿79.8K
5.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,930 €1,734
$1,589 ฿53.7K
21.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sparta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$937 €841
$590 ฿19.9K
58.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.38
5.57
-21.36%

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

Last update for Sparta: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sparta
$389
Chiang Mai
$309 20.5% $80
Groceries & Markets
Sparta
$290
Chiang Mai
$234 19.3% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sparta
$219
Chiang Mai
$94 56.8% $124
Eating Out
Sparta
$185
Chiang Mai
$78 58.1% $107
Clothing & Footwear
Sparta
$130
Chiang Mai
$109 16.6% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Sparta
$69
Chiang Mai
$50 27.3% $19
Getting Around
Sparta
$68
Chiang Mai
$61 10.2% $6.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Sparta versus $482 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 59% higher in Sparta. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Sparta versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Sparta
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
16:07 4:07 PM
21:07 9:07 PM
5 h ahead of Sparta
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,239
127,240
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sparta Chiang Mai 7,590 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sparta
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Sparta vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sparta or Chiang Mai?
Sparta costs about 44% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Sparta and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,026 per month in Sparta and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Sparta compared to Chiang Mai?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $494 in Sparta and $482 in Chiang Mai. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How do dining costs compare in Sparta and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Sparta and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Sparta or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 24% more in Sparta, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $800/month in Sparta or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,351 in Sparta and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Sparta or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,351 in Sparta. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Sparta compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Sparta or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sparta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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