🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,790 in Brno.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $2,560 in Brno.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $3,330 in Brno.
🌍Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 52% less than in Brno, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Brno is 34% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Brno
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿65.7
$9.43Kč 200
-79.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.35฿616
$43.74Kč 926
-58.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.48฿251
$9.32Kč 197
-19.74%
Cappuccino
$2.02฿67.7
$3.31Kč 70.1
-38.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85฿28.45
$1.86Kč 39.27
-54.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.94
$1.23Kč 25.97
-70.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.14฿71.7
$2.63Kč 55.7
-18.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59฿121
$2.54Kč 53.8
41.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Brno
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65฿55.4
$1.13Kč 23.95
46.02%
White Bread(500g)
$1.57฿52.6
$1.49Kč 31.56
5.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19฿39.95
$2.20Kč 46.57
-45.91%
Eggs
$1.94฿65.0
$3.03Kč 64.2
-35.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.19฿544
$12.81Kč 271
26.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.99฿100
$9.70Kč 205
-69.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.94฿367
$13.11Kč 278
-16.55%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71฿91.0
$1.72Kč 36.51
57.56%
Banana(1kg)
$1.17฿39.18
$1.71Kč 36.25
-31.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.69฿56.6
$2.10Kč 44.49
-19.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.60฿53.9
$3.90Kč 82.6
-58.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38฿46.45
$1.33Kč 28.13
3.76%
Onion(1kg)
$1.20฿40.38
$1.30Kč 27.60
-7.69%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿22.46
$1.59Kč 33.72
-57.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.70
$0.77Kč 16.22
-27.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.64฿156
$6.81Kč 144
-31.86%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.62฿591
$7.18Kč 152
145.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.4
$0.94Kč 19.85
97.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30฿111
$1.84Kč 39.05
79.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Brno
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿29.63
$1.15Kč 24.24
-23.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.34฿649
$25.17Kč 533
-23.16%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36฿45.82
$2.84Kč 60.1
-52.11%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34฿44.90
$1.53Kč 32.29
-12.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.21฿276
$15.28Kč 323
-46.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.22฿41.11
$1.68Kč 35.65
-27.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K฿716.8K
$28.5KKč 603.4K
-25.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿756.3K
$29.4KKč 622.2K
-23.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Brno
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.7฿2,372
$309Kč 6,551
-77.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.04฿471
$25.64Kč 543
-45.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.49฿587
$21.16Kč 448
-17.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Brno
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.15฿1,415
$53.2Kč 1,126
-20.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88฿231
$14.89Kč 315
-53.79%
Cinema Ticket
$5.92฿199
$11.72Kč 248
-49.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Brno
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$309฿10.4K
$427Kč 9,042
-27.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.9K฿499.5K
$14.3KKč 302.5K
4.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Brno
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8฿1,872
$88.2Kč 1,866
-36.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.11฿877
$41.66Kč 882
-37.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.0฿2,787
$100Kč 2,125
-17.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.5฿2,365
$113Kč 2,393
-37.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Brno
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$432฿14.5K
$945Kč 20.0K
-54.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$239฿8,020
$770Kč 16.3K
-68.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$822฿27.6K
$1,403Kč 29.7K
-41.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$512฿17.2K
$1,141Kč 24.2K
-55.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,915฿64.3K
$6,579Kč 139.3K
-70.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,467฿49.3K
$5,465Kč 115.7K
-73.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Brno
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$579฿19.4K
$1,865Kč 39.5K
-68.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
5.56
-10.07%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026
Last update for Brno: July 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $945 in Brno. 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $44.00 in Brno for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $265 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
Chiang Mai vs Brno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brno cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Chiang Mai or Brno?
On paper, salaries run 222% lower in Brno. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Chiang Mai and Brno?
Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $945 in Brno. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Chiang Mai or in Brno?
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 Chiang Mai and in Brno?
All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,790 in Brno – 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 Chiang Mai or in Brno?
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 Chiang Mai or Brno 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, Chiang Mai or Brno?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Brno 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.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared