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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,623 per month in Varkaus vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,543 per month in Varkaus vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,464 per month in Varkaus vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Varkaus costs about 87% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Varkaus sits 21% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 €10.14

$1.94 ฿63.6

506.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 €67.4

$18.64 ฿609

319.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 €8.01

$7.82 ฿256

19.05%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.88

$1.95 ฿63.9

130.77%

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

$3.15 €2.71

$0.85 ฿27.80

270.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.36

$0.35 ฿11.60

348.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.10

$2.13 ฿69.7

232.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 €6.59

$3.73 ฿122

105.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.71 ฿56.0

-37.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.63 ฿53.3

23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.14 ฿37.18

99.12%

Eggs

$2.42 €2.09

$1.93 ฿63.2

25.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 €6.53

$16.21 ฿530

-53.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.04 €10.37

$3.12 ฿102

285.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 €15.03

$10.90 ฿356

60.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.75 ฿90.1

-19.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.21 ฿39.56

58.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 €2.66

$1.62 ฿53.0

90.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 €3.35

$1.59 ฿51.9

144.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.40 ฿45.75

-39.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.38

$1.17 ฿38.20

37.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.73

$0.66 ฿21.62

203.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.53 ฿17.24

183.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.02 €7.76

$4.69 ฿153

92.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 €12.07

$18.66 ฿610

-24.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.80 ฿58.8

27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 €3.19

$3.23 ฿106

14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €2.97

$0.90 ฿29.28

283.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €57.9

$19.21 ฿628

250.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 €5.99

$1.41 ฿45.96

392.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.29 ฿42.16

23.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.71 €40.22

$7.84 ฿256

495.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.27 ฿41.62

61.42%

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

$28.4K €24.4K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

33.26%

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

$28.4K €24.5K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

27.89%

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

$88.0 €75.8

$69.1 ฿2,258

27.42%

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

$30.53 €26.29

$14.08 ฿460

116.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 €15.44

$18.00 ฿588

-0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 €38.45

$41.06 ฿1,342

8.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 €20.80

$6.96 ฿227

247.13%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.90

$5.92 ฿193

94.26%

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

$336 €289

$299 ฿9,775

12.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,541 €3,910

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-69.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 €85.9

$54.7 ฿1,788

82.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.68 €26.41

$26.77 ฿875

14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 €73.5

$85.0 ฿2,778

0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$70.6 ฿2,308

68.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 €668

$428 ฿14.0K

81.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 €558

$237 ฿7,759

173.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 €1,120

$801 ฿26.2K

62.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 €901

$515 ฿16.9K

102.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,164 €3,586

$1,975 ฿64.5K

110.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 €1,888

$1,475 ฿48.2K

48.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

-62.00%

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

Last update for Varkaus: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Varkaus 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Varkaus versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 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

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

Varkaus costs about 87% 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 $2,434 per month in Varkaus 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.

Kindergarten costs $336 per month in Varkaus and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Varkaus, 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 Varkaus at $1,623. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varkaus it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,623 in Varkaus. 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, Varkaus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.