Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Valencia and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Valencia: $833 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chiang Mai outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

40

Cost of Living Index in Valencia
Learn more

Valencia Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Valencia

🇻🇪 Venezuela

$833

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Valencia 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 Valencia and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $833 per month in Valencia vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Valencia $833
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $1,345 per month in Valencia vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Valencia $1,345
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $1,858 per month in Valencia vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Valencia $1,858
Chiang Mai $1,903

Valencia is about 10% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Valencia and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Valencia 39% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.17 VES 5,413

$2.29 ฿76.5

169.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.50 VES 30.3K

$19.64 ฿656

75.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.69 VES 13.8K

$5.61 ฿188

179.68%

Cappuccino

$3.31 VES 2,906

$1.66 ฿55.6

99.40%

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

$1.66 VES 1,457

$0.70 ฿23.40

137.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 VES 1,132

$0.31 ฿10.24

316.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 VES 1,785

$2.41 ฿80.4

-15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 VES 2,692

$3.71 ฿124

-17.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 VES 1,810

$1.95 ฿65.3

5.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 VES 1,134

$1.41 ฿47.03

-8.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 VES 1,230

$1.31 ฿43.62

6.87%

Eggs

$2.21 VES 1,940

$2.18 ฿72.9

1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 VES 5,688

$16.65 ฿556

-61.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 VES 6,019

$2.76 ฿92.2

148.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 VES 6,328

$9.11 ฿304

-20.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 VES 4,507

$2.39 ฿80.0

114.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 VES 1,323

$1.03 ฿34.26

46.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 VES 1,703

$1.63 ฿54.4

19.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 VES 2,087

$1.50 ฿50.0

58.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 VES 2,360

$1.29 ฿43.13

108.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 VES 1,770

$1.11 ฿37.03

81.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 VES 1,618

$0.72 ฿24.08

155.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 VES 1,611

$0.53 ฿17.59

247.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 VES 2,227

$4.31 ฿144

-41.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 VES 8,690

$17.95 ฿600

-44.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 VES 1,236

$1.58 ฿52.9

-10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 VES 1,934

$2.84 ฿95.0

-22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 VES 252

$0.86 ฿28.86

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.5 VES 44.3K

$53.3 ฿1,780

-5.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 VES 2,781

$1.21 ฿40.29

161.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 VES 1,720

$0.57 ฿18.99

243.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 VES 3,477

$2.35 ฿78.6

68.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 VES 681

$1.44 ฿47.96

-45.83%

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

$30.9K VES 27.2M

$20.7K ฿692.8K

49.26%

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

$42.2K VES 37.0M

$26.8K ฿895.7K

57.43%

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

$20.04 VES 17.6K

$62.3 ฿2,083

-67.85%

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

$8.62 VES 7,566

$12.11 ฿405

-28.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.81 VES 31.4K

$19.94 ฿666

79.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.12 VES 31.7K

$37.07 ฿1,239

-2.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.52 VES 26.8K

$3.78 ฿126

707.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 VES 4,367

$6.50 ฿217

-23.54%

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

$81.3 VES 71.4K

$793 ฿26.5K

-89.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,951 VES 2.6M

$14.8K ฿494.9K

-80.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.65 VES 38.3K

$53.7 ฿1,796

-18.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.15 VES 41.4K

$24.62 ฿823

91.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 VES 82.1K

$90.9 ฿3,036

2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 VES 40.3K

$71.1 ฿2,378

-35.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 VES 180.2K

$455 ฿15.2K

-54.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 VES 122.7K

$298 ฿9,954

-53.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 VES 246.9K

$908 ฿30.4K

-69.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 VES 211.4K

$554 ฿18.5K

-56.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$557 VES 488.7K

$1,931 ฿64.5K

-71.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$386 VES 338.7K

$1,445 ฿48.3K

-73.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 VES 185.5K

$591 ฿19.7K

-64.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Valencia: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Valencia

$250 30.1%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 6% $15

Eating Out

Valencia

$164 19.7%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 52.1% $86

Accommodation & Living

Valencia

$140 16.8%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 113% $158

Clothing & Footwear

Valencia

$104 12.4%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 4.4% $4.5

Getting Around

Valencia

$65 7.8%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 5.9% $3.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Valencia

$64 7.7%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 46.4% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Valencia

$46 5.5%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 8.7% $4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $205 in Valencia versus $455 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 180% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $34.00 in Valencia versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇪 Valencia

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

19:39 7:39 PM

06:39 6:39 AM

11 h ahead of Valencia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,299,026

127,240

💱 Currency

Venezuelan Bolívar VES Bs.S

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 VES = 1.14 USD

1,000 VES = 1.01 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to VES – Venezuelan Bolívar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇪 Venezuelan Bolívar (Bs.S)

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 878 VES (1,000 VES = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 987 VES (1,000 VES = 1.01 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to VES in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Valencia Chiang Mai 16,490 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Valencia
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Valencia, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,250 per month in Valencia and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Valencia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $81.3 per month in Valencia and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Valencia, where all-in costs run around $833, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Valencia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Valencia costs $833 versus $925 in Chiang Mai. 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 Valencia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.