Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Brno Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Brno

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,841 in Brno.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $2,601 in Brno.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $3,361 in Brno.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 53% less than in Brno, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Brno is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$9.42 Kč 196

-79.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$44.41 Kč 924

-58.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.47 Kč 197

-17.42%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.27 Kč 68.0

-40.37%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.96 Kč 40.75

-56.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.18 Kč 24.53

-70.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.63 Kč 54.7

-19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.58 Kč 53.7

44.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.15 Kč 23.97

48.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.48 Kč 30.86

10.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.08 Kč 43.34

-45.19%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.94 Kč 61.2

-34.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$12.91 Kč 269

25.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$9.75 Kč 203

-68.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.76 Kč 265

-14.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.67 Kč 34.71

64.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.77 Kč 36.80

-31.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.16 Kč 44.93

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.83 Kč 79.6

-58.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.32 Kč 27.53

6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.30 Kč 27.15

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.54 Kč 32.12

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.73 Kč 15.28

-27.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.02 Kč 146

-33.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.14 Kč 148

161.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.88 Kč 18.21

104.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.85 Kč 38.60

74.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.14 Kč 23.70

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$26.19 Kč 545

-26.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.78 Kč 57.8

-49.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.46 Kč 30.30

-11.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$15.24 Kč 317

-48.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.69 Kč 35.27

-24.85%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$28.3K Kč 589.9K

-24.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.2K Kč 607.2K

-23.87%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$69.1 ฿2,256

$310 Kč 6,460

-77.75%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.08 ฿460

$25.40 Kč 529

-44.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$20.51 Kč 427

-12.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$54.7 Kč 1,139

-24.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.20 Kč 316

-54.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.53 Kč 240

-48.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$299 ฿9,766

$438 Kč 9,110

-31.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$14.3K Kč 297.6K

4.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$88.9 Kč 1,849

-38.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$40.96 Kč 852

-34.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$99.9 Kč 2,079

-14.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$113 Kč 2,354

-37.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$958 Kč 19.9K

-55.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$770 Kč 16.0K

-69.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,434 Kč 29.8K

-44.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,144 Kč 23.8K

-54.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$6,675 Kč 138.9K

-70.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$5,503 Kč 114.5K

-73.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,942 Kč 40.4K

-68.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.56

-10.07%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brno: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $958 in Brno. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brno pays 214% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $44.00 in Brno for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $263 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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Brno earns 214% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $958 in Brno. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $44.00 in Brno. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,841 in Brno – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,841 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Brno. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.