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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,241 per month in Valletta vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,380 per month in Valletta vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,519 per month in Valletta vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Valletta costs about 159% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Valletta sits 67% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 €17.27

$1.94 ฿63.5

935.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 €60.2

$18.64 ฿609

275.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.76

$7.82 ฿255

45.14%

Cappuccino

$2.63 €2.26

$1.95 ฿63.8

34.87%

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

$2.70 €2.32

$0.85 ฿27.77

217.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.35 ฿11.58

462.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.81 €4.14

$2.13 ฿69.6

125.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 €4.20

$3.73 ฿122

30.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.71 ฿56.0

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.63 ฿53.2

-6.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 €3.03

$1.14 ฿37.15

209.65%

Eggs

$3.72 €3.20

$1.93 ฿63.1

92.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 €8.40

$16.21 ฿530

-39.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 €9.23

$3.12 ฿102

243.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 €11.88

$10.90 ฿356

26.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 €2.83

$2.75 ฿90.0

19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.21 ฿39.52

69.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$1.62 ฿53.0

71.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 €2.79

$1.59 ฿51.8

104.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.40 ฿45.70

31.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$1.17 ฿38.17

152.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.66 ฿21.60

190.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.07

$0.53 ฿17.22

135.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.63

$4.69 ฿153

39.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.28 €5.40

$18.66 ฿609

-66.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.80 ฿58.8

27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.53

$3.23 ฿106

-44.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.47

$0.90 ฿29.26

220.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 €7.12

$1.41 ฿45.91

487.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.29 ฿42.12

44.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 €29.54

$7.84 ฿256

338.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.27 ฿41.58

18.90%

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

$26.5K €22.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

24.52%

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

$41.7K €35.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

87.86%

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

$166 €143

$69.1 ฿2,256

140.83%

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

$30.23 €26.01

$14.08 ฿460

114.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.97 €28.36

$18.00 ฿588

83.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 €51.5

$41.06 ฿1,341

45.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.18 €26.82

$6.96 ฿227

347.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 €13.06

$5.92 ฿193

156.42%

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

$260 €224

$299 ฿9,766

-12.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K €11.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-13.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.3

$54.7 ฿1,787

87.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 €62.2

$26.77 ฿874

170.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 €126

$85.0 ฿2,776

72.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 €143

$70.6 ฿2,306

135.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$428 ฿14.0K

193.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €913

$237 ฿7,752

347.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,785 €2,396

$801 ฿26.2K

247.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 €1,577

$515 ฿16.8K

255.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,622 €4,836

$1,975 ฿64.5K

184.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,105 €3,531

$1,475 ฿48.2K

178.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,169 €1,866

$617 ฿20.2K

251.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

8.60%

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

Last update for Valletta: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,255 in Valletta 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 251% higher in Valletta, 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 $70.0 in Valletta versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 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

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

Valletta costs about 159% 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 $3,361 per month in Valletta 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Valletta and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Valletta, 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 Valletta at $2,241. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Valletta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,241 in Valletta. 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, Valletta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.