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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,248 per month in Ventspils vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,896 per month in Ventspils vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,544 per month in Ventspils vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ventspils costs about 44% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ventspils and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ventspils 7% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.42 €9.83

$1.94 ฿63.5

488.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 €50.5

$18.64 ฿609

214.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 €6.27

$7.82 ฿255

-6.78%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.41

$1.95 ฿63.8

43.59%

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

$1.78 €1.53

$0.85 ฿27.77

109.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.13

$0.35 ฿11.58

274.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 €2.96

$2.13 ฿69.6

61.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.48

$3.73 ฿122

-22.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.00

$1.71 ฿56.0

-31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.63 ฿53.2

-28.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.59

$1.14 ฿37.15

164.04%

Eggs

$2.97 €2.56

$1.93 ฿63.1

53.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 €8.14

$16.21 ฿530

-41.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 €6.67

$3.12 ฿102

148.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 €9.89

$10.90 ฿356

5.50%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 €0.82

$2.75 ฿90.0

-65.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$1.21 ฿39.52

33.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.62 ฿53.0

29.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 €3.07

$1.59 ฿51.8

124.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 €0.67

$1.40 ฿45.70

-44.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 €0.50

$1.17 ฿38.17

-50.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.10

$0.66 ฿21.60

93.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.76

$0.53 ฿17.22

67.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 €4.13

$4.69 ฿153

2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 €7.05

$18.66 ฿609

-56.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.80 ฿58.8

-30.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.36

$3.23 ฿106

-51.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.90 ฿29.26

-7.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.16 €32.82

$19.21 ฿628

98.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.41 ฿45.91

70.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 €0.62

$1.29 ฿42.12

-44.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 €8.90

$7.84 ฿256

32.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.27 ฿41.58

48.03%

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

$25.6K €22.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

20.27%

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

$24.3K €20.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

9.61%

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

$319 €275

$69.1 ฿2,256

362.04%

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

$17.02 €14.64

$14.08 ฿460

20.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 €17.55

$18.00 ฿588

13.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.76 €30.76

$41.06 ฿1,341

-12.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 €17.22

$6.96 ฿227

187.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.02 €6.04

$5.92 ฿193

18.58%

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

$349 €301

$299 ฿9,766

16.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K €11.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-7.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 €46.10

$54.7 ฿1,787

-2.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.95 €37.81

$26.77 ฿874

64.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 €70.2

$85.0 ฿2,776

-3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$70.6 ฿2,306

68.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 €230

$428 ฿14.0K

-37.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 €211

$237 ฿7,752

3.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 €368

$801 ฿26.2K

-46.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 €385

$515 ฿16.8K

-13.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,007 €866

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-49.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$718 €617

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-51.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,036 €891

$617 ฿20.2K

67.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-32.20%

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

Last update for Ventspils: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Ventspils 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 68% higher in Ventspils, 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 $59.0 in Ventspils versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Ventspils vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Ventspils wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Ventspils costs about 44% 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 $1,872 per month in Ventspils 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 $349 per month in Ventspils and $299 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 5% cheaper in Ventspils – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Ventspils at $1,248. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ventspils it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,248 in Ventspils. 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, Ventspils makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.