😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,790 in Brno versus $861 in Chiang Mai.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,560 in Brno versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,330 in Brno versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.
🌍Living in Brno is roughly 108% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Brno is 34% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.43Kč 200
$1.96฿65.7
381.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.74Kč 926
$18.35฿616
138.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.32Kč 197
$7.48฿251
24.60%
Cappuccino
$3.31Kč 70.1
$2.02฿67.7
63.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86Kč 39.27
$0.85฿28.45
118.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23Kč 25.97
$0.36฿11.94
241.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.63Kč 55.7
$2.14฿71.7
22.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54Kč 53.8
$3.59฿121
-29.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.13Kč 23.95
$1.65฿55.4
-31.52%
White Bread(500g)
$1.49Kč 31.56
$1.57฿52.6
-5.10%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20Kč 46.57
$1.19฿39.95
84.87%
Eggs
$3.03Kč 64.2
$1.94฿65.0
56.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.81Kč 271
$16.19฿544
-20.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.70Kč 205
$2.99฿100
224.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.11Kč 278
$10.94฿367
19.84%
Apples(1kg)
$1.72Kč 36.51
$2.71฿91.0
-36.53%
Banana(1kg)
$1.71Kč 36.25
$1.17฿39.18
46.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.10Kč 44.49
$1.69฿56.6
24.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.90Kč 82.6
$1.60฿53.9
143.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.33Kč 28.13
$1.38฿46.45
-3.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.30Kč 27.60
$1.20฿40.38
8.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.59Kč 33.72
$0.67฿22.46
137.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77Kč 16.22
$0.56฿18.70
37.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.81Kč 144
$4.64฿156
46.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.18Kč 152
$17.62฿591
-59.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94Kč 19.85
$1.86฿62.4
-49.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84Kč 39.05
$3.30฿111
-44.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.15Kč 24.24
$0.88฿29.63
30.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$25.17Kč 533
$19.34฿649
30.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.84Kč 60.1
$1.36฿45.82
108.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53Kč 32.29
$1.34฿44.90
14.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$15.28Kč 323
$8.21฿276
86.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.68Kč 35.65
$1.22฿41.11
37.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5KKč 603.4K
$21.4K฿716.8K
33.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4KKč 622.2K
$22.5K฿756.3K
30.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$309Kč 6,551
$70.7฿2,372
337.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.64Kč 543
$14.04฿471
82.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.16Kč 448
$17.49฿587
20.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.2Kč 1,126
$42.15฿1,415
26.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.89Kč 315
$6.88฿231
116.42%
Cinema Ticket
$11.72Kč 248
$5.92฿199
97.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$427Kč 9,042
$309฿10.4K
38.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.3KKč 302.5K
$14.9K฿499.5K
-3.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.2Kč 1,866
$55.8฿1,872
58.11%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.66Kč 882
$26.11฿877
59.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100Kč 2,125
$83.0฿2,787
20.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113Kč 2,393
$70.5฿2,365
60.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$945Kč 20.0K
$432฿14.5K
118.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$770Kč 16.3K
$239฿8,020
222.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,403Kč 29.7K
$822฿27.6K
70.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,141Kč 24.2K
$512฿17.2K
122.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,579Kč 139.3K
$1,915฿64.3K
243.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,465Kč 115.7K
$1,467฿49.3K
272.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,865Kč 39.5K
$579฿19.4K
221.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.56
5
11.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Brno: July 14, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $945 in Brno and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Brno pays 222% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $44.00 in Brno vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.
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
Brno vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiang Mai cheaper than Brno?
Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Brno or Chiang Mai?
Average pay runs 222% higher in Brno, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Brno and Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $945 in Brno versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Brno or in Chiang Mai?
Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $44.00 in Brno. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Brno and in Chiang Mai?
All in, you'll spend $1,790 per month in Brno versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Brno or in Chiang Mai?
At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,790 in Brno, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Brno. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Brno or Chiang Mai more family-friendly?
For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Brno, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Brno or Chiang Mai?
Safety-wise, Brno and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Brno. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.