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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,689 per month in Strovolos vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,753 per month in Strovolos vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,817 per month in Strovolos vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Strovolos costs about 96% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Strovolos sits 26% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 €15.14

$1.96 ฿65.8

781.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 €62.0

$18.35 ฿617

285.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 €7.30

$7.48 ฿252

11.50%

Cappuccino

$3.86 €3.38

$2.02 ฿67.8

91.09%

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

$2.15 €1.89

$0.85 ฿28.50

152.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

$0.36 ฿11.96

147.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 €3.62

$2.14 ฿71.8

93.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.94

$3.59 ฿121

57.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 €1.46

$1.65 ฿55.5

1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.57 ฿52.7

12.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.19 ฿40.02

98.32%

Eggs

$4.35 €3.81

$1.94 ฿65.1

124.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 €11.89

$16.19 ฿544

-16.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 €8.22

$2.99 ฿101

214.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 €11.36

$10.94 ฿368

18.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 €2.43

$2.71 ฿91.2

2.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.17 ฿39.25

58.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 €1.98

$1.69 ฿56.7

33.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 €2.76

$1.60 ฿54.0

96.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.38 ฿46.54

-3.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.20 ฿40.45

-1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.67 ฿22.50

19.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.56 ฿18.73

44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 €5.04

$4.64 ฿156

24.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 €7.04

$17.62 ฿593

-54.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.68

$1.86 ฿62.5

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.12

$3.30 ฿111

-26.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 €1.97

$0.88 ฿29.68

155.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 €46.05

$19.34 ฿650

171.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 €4.51

$1.36 ฿45.90

278.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.34 ฿44.98

17.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.20 €18.57

$8.21 ฿276

158.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.43

$1.22 ฿41.18

33.61%

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

$25.8K €22.6K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

21.05%

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

$32.2K €28.2K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

43.09%

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

$190 €166

$70.7 ฿2,376

168.95%

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

$23.48 €20.56

$14.04 ฿472

67.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 €31.35

$17.49 ฿588

104.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.4 €61.6

$42.15 ฿1,417

66.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.10 €26.36

$6.88 ฿231

337.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 €10.10

$5.92 ฿199

94.76%

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

$462 €404

$309 ฿10.4K

49.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,828 €6,856

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-47.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 €78.5

$55.8 ฿1,875

60.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 €49.03

$26.11 ฿878

114.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 €82.3

$83.0 ฿2,792

13.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 €91.9

$70.5 ฿2,369

48.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 €663

$432 ฿14.5K

75.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 €515

$239 ฿8,035

146.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 €950

$822 ฿27.7K

31.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 €1,131

$512 ฿17.2K

152.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,746 €3,281

$1,915 ฿64.4K

95.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,392 €2,095

$1,467 ฿49.3K

63.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,701 €1,490

$579 ฿19.5K

193.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.34

-13.20%

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

Last update for Strovolos: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $758 in Strovolos versus $432 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 194% higher in Strovolos, 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 $71.0 in Strovolos versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $243 – 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

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

Strovolos costs about 96% 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 $2,534 per month in Strovolos and $1,292 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 $462 per month in Strovolos and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Strovolos, 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 $861, than in Strovolos at $1,689. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Strovolos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,689 in Strovolos. 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, Strovolos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.