Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Alytus

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,355 in Alytus, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Alytus, Lithuania
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Alytus
🇱🇹 Lithuania
$1,355
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Alytus

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Alytus actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,355 in Alytus, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Alytus $1,355

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,039 in Alytus, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Alytus $2,039

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,722 in Alytus, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Alytus $2,722

Chiang Mai is about 31% cheaper than Alytus, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Alytus
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.5
$12.18 €10.91
-81.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿640
$51.2 €45.88
-62.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$6.62 €5.94
-16.16%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.4
$3.09 €2.77
-45.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.51
$2.65 €2.37
-75.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.29
$1.93 €1.73
-83.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
$5.12 €4.59
-53.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿123
$4.96 €4.44
-26.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Alytus
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$1.22 €1.10
59.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.41
$1.50 €1.35
-4.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.97
$1.75 €1.57
-24.00%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.0
$2.84 €2.54
-19.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿554
$9.91 €8.88
65.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$5.58 €5.00
-50.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$9.68 €8.68
-3.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.3
$1.63 €1.46
44.17%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.75
$1.45 €1.30
-33.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.8
$1.64 €1.47
-2.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$3.10 €2.78
-51.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.06
$0.78 €0.70
64.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.14
$0.95 €0.85
15.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.79
$1.54 €1.38
-53.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.34
$0.78 €0.70
-37.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$5.63 €5.05
-26.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿590
$8.44 €7.56
107.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.4
$1.60 €1.43
0.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$1.65 €1.48
68.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Alytus
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.27
$1.14 €1.02
-23.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,823
$33.88 €30.36
59.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.00
$3.11 €2.79
-62.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.78
$0.81 €0.72
-34.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.6
$13.42 €12.02
-81.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$1.56 €1.40
-7.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿709.7K
$26.9K €24.1K
-21.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿907.9K
$27.6K €24.7K
-2.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Alytus
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,095
$201 €180
-69.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿410
$15.02 €13.46
-18.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿678
$11.11 €9.96
81.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Alytus
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,257
$39.37 €35.28
-5.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$10.26 €9.19
-63.26%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$7.64 €6.85
-15.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Alytus
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$522 €468
40.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿497.6K
$9,334 €8,364
58.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Alytus
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,799
$135 €121
-60.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿830
$63.2 €56.6
-61.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,083
$81.4 €73.0
12.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,424
$180 €162
-60.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Alytus
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$572 €512
-15.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$394 €353
-21.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$835 €748
20.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.3K
$633 €567
0.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.6K
$1,419 €1,272
66.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$991 €888
60.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Alytus
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$1,196 €1,072
-50.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.97
40.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Alytus: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Alytus
$394 27.4% $85
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Alytus
$219 6.5% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Alytus
$207 90.6% $98
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Alytus
$227 140% $133
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Alytus
$208 168% $131
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Alytus
$46 25.7% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Alytus
$55 8.7% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $572 in Alytus. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Alytus are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $51 in Alytus. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $219 in Alytus – so Alytus wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇱🇹 Alytus
🕒 Local time
08:56 8:56 AM
03:56 3:56 AM
5 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
59,964
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Alytus 7,350 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Alytus

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Chiang Mai vs Alytus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chiang Mai and in Alytus compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai, $1,355 in Alytus – Chiang Mai comes out roughly 31% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Chiang Mai compared to Alytus?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,033 in Alytus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chiang Mai and Alytus?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $572 in Alytus.
How do commuting costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Alytus?
Public transport costs about 37% less in Alytus. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Chiang Mai and Alytus?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $522 in Alytus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is feasible on a $800 budget?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,355 in Alytus. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Chiang Mai and Alytus?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,355 in Alytus. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Chiang Mai or Alytus safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Chiang Mai and Alytus?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alytus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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