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 $1,972 per month in Varkaus vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,105 per month in Varkaus vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,238 per month in Varkaus vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Varkaus costs about 107% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Varkaus sits 43% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 €14.21

$2.10 ฿69.3

685.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €89.9

$19.84 ฿656

425.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.31 €10.61

$5.79 ฿191

112.61%

Cappuccino

$5.48 €4.72

$1.83 ฿60.4

199.45%

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

$3.65 €3.15

$0.78 ฿25.61

367.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 €2.49

$0.31 ฿10.37

829.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.33 €8.04

$2.34 ฿77.2

298.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.06 €8.67

$3.70 ฿122

171.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.22

$2.03 ฿67.1

-30.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 €2.59

$1.60 ฿52.7

87.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 €3.25

$1.42 ฿46.75

165.49%

Eggs

$4.08 €3.51

$2.18 ฿71.9

87.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 €9.70

$15.91 ฿526

-29.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.89 €14.56

$3.07 ฿102

450.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.51 €20.26

$9.87 ฿326

138.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 €2.36

$2.63 ฿86.8

4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.10 ฿36.19

91.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.63 ฿53.8

107.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 €3.85

$1.53 ฿50.6

192.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.24 ฿41.13

8.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.13 ฿37.37

58.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 €1.89

$0.74 ฿24.38

197.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.50 ฿16.48

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.99 €11.20

$4.28 ฿141

203.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 €11.88

$17.97 ฿594

-23.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.41

$1.70 ฿56.1

132.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 €4.45

$2.90 ฿95.7

77.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 €2.95

$0.94 ฿31.13

263.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.3 €58.9

$55.3 ฿1,827

23.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 €8.60

$1.23 ฿40.76

711.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.53 ฿17.66

258.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 €45.59

$2.40 ฿79.3

2103.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.44 ฿47.55

54.86%

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

$37.5K €32.4K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

77.11%

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

$39.1K €33.7K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

43.35%

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

$113 €97.6

$64.9 ฿2,145

74.34%

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

$29.48 €25.42

$13.35 ฿441

120.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.70 €22.15

$20.83 ฿688

23.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.60 €40.17

$40.42 ฿1,336

15.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.10 €19.91

$3.95 ฿131

484.81%

Cinema Ticket

$18.39 €15.85

$6.71 ฿222

174.07%

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

$350 €301

$787 ฿26.0K

-55.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K €11.2K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-13.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 €110

$56.2 ฿1,858

126.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 €50.8

$24.95 ฿824

136.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 €85.3

$92.7 ฿3,063

6.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 €160

$75.1 ฿2,482

147.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 €706

$484 ฿16.0K

69.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$676 €583

$287 ฿9,491

135.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 €1,135

$910 ฿30.1K

44.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 €939

$531 ฿17.5K

105.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,094 €3,529

$1,980 ฿65.4K

106.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,200 €1,896

$1,451 ฿47.9K

51.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.51

5.57

-36.98%

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

Last update for Varkaus: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $820 in Varkaus versus $484 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 $104 in Varkaus versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $425 vs $242 – 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 107% 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 $2,958 per month in Varkaus and $1,426 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 $350 per month in Varkaus and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% 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 $950, than in Varkaus at $1,972. 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 $950 versus $1,972 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.