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Amsterdam vs Chiang Mai cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ณ๐ฑ Amsterdam
๐น๐ญ Chiang Mai
At a glance
- Where Chiang Mai is clearly cheaper: Massage (92%โ), Local meal (90%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (87%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Amsterdam is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.4). Biggest gap: language โ Amsterdam 1 vs Chiang Mai 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Amsterdam | Chiang Mai | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 20$23.3 | เธฟ 80$2.42 | Chiang Mai โ90% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 6$6.98 | เธฟ 50$1.52 | Chiang Mai โ78% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 40$46.5 | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Chiang Mai โ74% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 4.2$4.88 | เธฟ 75$2.27 | Chiang Mai โ53% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 6.5$7.56 | เธฟ 85$2.58 | Chiang Mai โ66% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 8$9.3 | เธฟ 180$5.45 | Chiang Mai โ41% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | เธฟ 10$0.3 | Chiang Mai โ86% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 2.2$2.56 | เธฟ 20$0.61 | Chiang Mai โ76% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 18$20.9 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Chiang Mai โ86% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 12$14 | เธฟ 60$1.82 | Chiang Mai โ87% |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 3.4$3.95 | เธฟ 30$0.91 | Chiang Mai โ77% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 13$15.1 | เธฟ 250$7.58 | Chiang Mai โ50% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 165$192 | เธฟ 1,100$33.3 | Chiang Mai โ83% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 1,900$2,209 | เธฟ 10,500$318 | Chiang Mai โ86% |
| Laundry | โฌ 4$4.65 | เธฟ 35$1.06 | Chiang Mai โ77% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | เธฟ 299$9.06 | Chiang Mai โ48% |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 30$34.9 | เธฟ 150$4.55 | Chiang Mai โ87% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 80$93 | เธฟ 250$7.58 | Chiang Mai โ92% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 50$58.1 | เธฟ 800$24.2 | Chiang Mai โ58% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 25$29.1 | เธฟ 145$4.39 | Chiang Mai โ85% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Amsterdam or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is 83% cheaper than Amsterdam. Daily budget $378 vs $66.9; a month $7,747 vs $1,232.
Which is easier to travel, Amsterdam or Chiang Mai?
Amsterdam is easier: Amsterdam 1.4/5 vs Chiang Mai 2.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Amsterdam and Chiang Mai?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Amsterdam is about $7,747 and Chiang Mai about $1,232 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.