Cost of Living · IT vs TH
🇮🇹 Rome vs 🇹🇭 Chiang Mai: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,489 in Italy vs $706 in Thailand — 52.6% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Thailand
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -57.73%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -57.73%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -57.73%
Closest to Italy prices
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: -20.99%
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: -21.78%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -21.81%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Italy | Thailand | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,014 | $428 (14,089 THB) | -57.73% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $811 | $343 (11,271 THB) | -57.73% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,853 | $783 (25,763 THB) | -57.73% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.72 | $5.96 (196 THB) | -49.15% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $48.83 | $24.83 (816 THB) | -49.15% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $7.45 | $4.03 (133 THB) | -45.91% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.81 | $0.49 (16 THB) | -39.51% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.34 | $1.43 (47 THB) | -38.89% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.49 | $1.52 (50 THB) | -38.96% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $7.32 | $4.47 (147 THB) | -38.93% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $2.93 | $1.79 (59 THB) | -38.91% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $3.51 | $2.15 (71 THB) | -38.75% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $8.78 | $5.37 (177 THB) | -38.84% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.46 | $0.89 (29 THB) | -39.04% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $3.91 | $1.99 (65 THB) | -49.1% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $6.84 | $5.35 (176 THB) | -21.78% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.26 | $1.66 (55 THB) | -49.08% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.68 | $1.03 (34 THB) | -38.69% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $44.01 | $23.79 (782 THB) | -45.94% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.86 | $1.01 (33 THB) | -45.7% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $2.60 | $1.32 (43 THB) | -49.23% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.17 | $0.60 (20 THB) | -48.72% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.81 | $0.64 (21 THB) | -20.99% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $135 | $73.20 (2,407 THB) | -45.94% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $47.39 | $25.62 (842 THB) | -45.94% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $30.47 | $16.47 (542 THB) | -45.95% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $32.55 | $16.55 (544 THB) | -49.16% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $9.12 | $4.63 (152 THB) | -49.23% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $19.53 | $9.93 (327 THB) | -49.16% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $47.05 | $36.79 (1,210 THB) | -21.81% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $77.00 | $60.21 (1,980 THB) | -21.81% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $163 | $82.75 (2,721 THB) | -49.16% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is Thailand than Italy?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $706 in Thailand versus $1,489 in Italy — 52.6% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Thailand?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $1.99 in Thailand (≈ 65.44 THB), versus about $3.91 in Italy.
- How much is rent in Thailand compared to Italy?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $428/month in Thailand versus $1,014/month in Italy (-57.73%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.