😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,943 in Brno versus $947 in Chiang Mai.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,718 in Brno versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,492 in Brno versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.
🌍Living in Brno is roughly 105% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Brno is 41% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.34Kč 195
$2.08฿69.4
349.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.40Kč 968
$19.64฿654
136.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.84Kč 205
$5.65฿188
74.16%
Cappuccino
$3.57Kč 74.5
$1.81฿60.1
97.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79Kč 37.32
$0.71฿23.75
152.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36Kč 28.40
$0.32฿10.52
325.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.90Kč 60.6
$2.24฿74.5
29.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16Kč 65.9
$3.63฿121
-12.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.23Kč 25.60
$1.96฿65.2
-37.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.45Kč 30.23
$1.50฿50.0
-3.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.33Kč 48.59
$1.34฿44.49
73.88%
Eggs
$3.77Kč 78.7
$2.26฿75.4
66.81%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.49Kč 281
$16.26฿541
-17.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.60Kč 200
$2.95฿98.4
225.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.31Kč 361
$9.94฿331
74.14%
Apples(1kg)
$1.90Kč 39.53
$2.57฿85.7
-26.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.84Kč 38.41
$1.06฿35.18
73.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.16Kč 45.12
$1.61฿53.7
34.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.53Kč 73.7
$1.52฿50.6
132.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.07Kč 22.24
$1.27฿42.30
-15.75%
Onion(1kg)
$1.15Kč 23.99
$1.07฿35.51
7.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.64Kč 34.14
$0.72฿23.98
127.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80Kč 16.75
$0.51฿16.94
56.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.91Kč 165
$4.19฿140
88.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.23Kč 151
$17.87฿595
-59.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.98Kč 20.44
$1.69฿56.4
-42.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71Kč 35.74
$2.84฿94.5
-39.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.18Kč 24.51
$0.93฿30.82
26.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.77Kč 558
$53.9฿1,794
-50.30%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.88Kč 60.0
$1.23฿41.11
134.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.94Kč 40.46
$0.58฿19.20
234.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.23Kč 359
$2.42฿80.7
611.98%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.96Kč 40.90
$1.41฿47.03
39.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3KKč 673.5K
$21.4K฿714.1K
50.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.0KKč 645.9K
$27.3K฿910.2K
13.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$309Kč 6,441
$63.7฿2,120
384.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.16Kč 504
$12.85฿428
88.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.47Kč 406
$20.22฿673
-3.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.8Kč 1,185
$38.74฿1,290
46.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.63Kč 284
$3.97฿132
243.32%
Cinema Ticket
$13.57Kč 283
$6.74฿224
101.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$781Kč 16.3K
$778฿25.9K
0.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.1KKč 252.2K
$14.6K฿486.5K
-17.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.6Kč 1,952
$54.3฿1,808
72.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.44Kč 802
$25.45฿847
51.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106Kč 2,213
$94.3฿3,141
12.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127Kč 2,648
$73.4฿2,446
72.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,046Kč 21.8K
$490฿16.3K
113.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$844Kč 17.6K
$289฿9,634
191.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,609Kč 33.6K
$894฿29.8K
80.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,276Kč 26.6K
$517฿17.2K
146.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,717Kč 140.1K
$1,955฿65.1K
243.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,600Kč 116.8K
$1,477฿49.2K
279.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brno
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,966Kč 41.0K
$602฿20.0K
226.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.64
5.57
-16.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Brno: August 30, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,046 in Brno and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Brno pays 226% 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: $46.00 in Brno vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $240 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 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Brno or Chiang Mai?
Average pay runs 226% 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: $1,046 in Brno versus $490 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 $20.00 versus $46.00 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 $1,943 per month in Brno versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 105% 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 $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,943 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 105% less than in Brno. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.