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 $1,654 per month in Varkaus vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,573 per month in Varkaus vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,491 per month in Varkaus vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Varkaus costs about 92% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Varkaus sits 24% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 €10.26

$1.96 ฿65.8

497.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 €68.9

$18.35 ฿617

328.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 €8.09

$7.48 ฿252

23.53%

Cappuccino

$4.49 €3.93

$2.02 ฿67.8

122.28%

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

$3.17 €2.77

$0.85 ฿28.50

272.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 €1.45

$0.36 ฿11.96

358.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 €6.22

$2.14 ฿71.8

231.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.69 €6.74

$3.59 ฿121

114.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 €0.93

$1.65 ฿55.5

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.57 ฿52.7

29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 €2.00

$1.19 ฿40.02

91.60%

Eggs

$2.42 €2.12

$1.94 ฿65.1

24.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.44 €6.52

$16.19 ฿544

-54.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 €10.76

$2.99 ฿101

310.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.24 €15.10

$10.94 ฿368

57.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.71 ฿91.2

-18.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 €1.65

$1.17 ฿39.25

60.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 €2.65

$1.69 ฿56.7

79.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 €3.33

$1.60 ฿54.0

137.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 €0.77

$1.38 ฿46.54

-36.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.20 ฿40.45

28.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.67 ฿22.50

210.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 €1.33

$0.56 ฿18.73

171.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.51 €8.33

$4.64 ฿156

104.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 €12.03

$17.62 ฿593

-22.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.96

$1.86 ฿62.5

20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 €3.29

$3.30 ฿111

13.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 €3.06

$0.88 ฿29.68

296.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 €57.3

$19.34 ฿650

238.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 €5.90

$1.36 ฿45.90

394.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 €1.35

$1.34 ฿44.98

15.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.86 €41.04

$8.21 ฿276

470.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.80

$1.22 ฿41.18

68.03%

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

$28.3K €24.8K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

32.49%

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

$27.9K €24.5K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

23.97%

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

$86.5 €75.8

$70.7 ฿2,376

22.40%

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

$29.50 €25.83

$14.04 ฿472

110.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 €16.04

$17.49 ฿588

4.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 €37.85

$42.15 ฿1,417

2.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.10 €21.11

$6.88 ฿231

250.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 €9.94

$5.92 ฿199

91.72%

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

$334 €292

$309 ฿10.4K

8.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,582 €4,013

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-69.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.4 €87.0

$55.8 ฿1,875

78.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.99 €26.27

$26.11 ฿878

14.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 €74.4

$83.0 ฿2,792

2.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €106

$70.5 ฿2,369

71.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 €679

$432 ฿14.5K

79.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 €556

$239 ฿8,035

165.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,137

$822 ฿27.7K

57.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 €911

$512 ฿17.2K

103.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,983 €3,488

$1,915 ฿64.4K

108.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,177 €1,906

$1,467 ฿49.3K

48.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Varkaus 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Varkaus versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 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

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

Varkaus costs about 92% 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 $2,481 per month in Varkaus 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 $334 per month in Varkaus 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 30% 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 $861, than in Varkaus at $1,654. 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 $861 versus $1,654 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.