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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,979 per month in Wels vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Wels vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,806 per month in Wels vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Wels costs about 128% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Wels sits 48% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.50 €15.07

$1.94 ฿63.6

802.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 €62.8

$18.64 ฿609

291.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 €10.50

$7.82 ฿256

56.01%

Cappuccino

$4.59 €3.96

$1.95 ฿63.9

135.38%

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

$4.28 €3.68

$0.85 ฿27.80

403.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 €2.63

$0.35 ฿11.60

774.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.34 €4.60

$2.13 ฿69.7

150.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 €4.15

$3.73 ฿122

29.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.71 ฿56.0

-14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 €2.64

$1.63 ฿53.3

87.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.93

$1.14 ฿37.18

97.37%

Eggs

$3.46 €2.98

$1.93 ฿63.2

79.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.11 €21.63

$16.21 ฿530

54.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.99 €12.05

$3.12 ฿102

348.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.37 €18.40

$10.90 ฿356

96.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 €2.53

$2.75 ฿90.1

6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.21 ฿39.56

52.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$1.62 ฿53.0

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$1.59 ฿51.9

76.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.40 ฿45.75

47.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.17 ฿38.20

42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.66 ฿21.62

171.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.67

$0.53 ฿17.24

47.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 €6.28

$4.69 ฿153

55.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 €7.96

$18.66 ฿610

-50.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.80 ฿58.8

-53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.43

$3.23 ฿106

-48.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 €2.36

$0.90 ฿29.28

204.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.74 €24.74

$19.21 ฿628

49.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 €5.83

$1.41 ฿45.96

380.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.29 ฿42.16

65.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.77 €29.94

$7.84 ฿256

343.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.48

$1.27 ฿41.62

34.65%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

37.71%

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

$35.8K €30.9K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

61.32%

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

$362 €312

$69.1 ฿2,258

424.69%

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

$22.62 €19.48

$14.08 ฿460

60.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.13 €29.39

$18.00 ฿588

89.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.47 €34.85

$41.06 ฿1,342

-1.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.47 €29.68

$6.96 ฿227

395.26%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 €12.09

$5.92 ฿193

137.16%

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

$912 €785

$299 ฿9,775

205.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,327 €6,309

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-51.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$132 €114

$54.7 ฿1,788

142.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 €43.43

$26.77 ฿875

88.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €104

$85.0 ฿2,778

42.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €120

$70.6 ฿2,308

96.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 €590

$428 ฿14.0K

59.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 €495

$237 ฿7,759

142.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 €996

$801 ฿26.2K

44.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 €701

$515 ฿16.9K

58.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,186 €2,744

$617 ฿20.2K

416.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-40.00%

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

Last update for Wels: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $685 in Wels 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 416% higher in Wels, 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 $73.0 in Wels versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 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

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

Wels costs about 128% 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 $2,969 per month in Wels 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 $912 per month in Wels 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 54% more in Wels, 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 Wels at $1,979. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wels it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,979 in Wels. 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, Wels makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.