Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Celje

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,585 in Celje, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Celje, Slovenia
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Celje
🇸🇮 Slovenia
$1,585
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Celje actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $1,585 in Celje.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Celje $1,585

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $2,290 in Celje.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Celje $2,290

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $2,994 in Celje.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Celje $2,994

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 41% less than in Celje, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Celje is 16% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Celje
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$13.36 €11.97
-83.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$50.3 €45.08
-62.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$9.03 €8.09
-38.54%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$2.19 €1.97
-23.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.54
$2.26 €2.02
-71.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.31
$1.94 €1.74
-84.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
$2.63 €2.35
-10.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$3.31 €2.96
10.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Celje
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$1.31 €1.18
48.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.46
$2.06 €1.84
-30.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.03
$2.20 €1.97
-39.55%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$3.07 €2.75
-25.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$14.72 €13.18
11.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$9.93 €8.89
-72.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$8.77 €7.85
6.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$1.93 €1.73
21.76%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.79
$1.71 €1.53
-43.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$2.32 €2.08
-31.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$3.08 €2.76
-51.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.11
$1.10 €0.98
16.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.18
$1.55 €1.39
-29.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.82
$1.69 €1.51
-57.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.36
$0.80 €0.71
-38.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$5.77 €5.17
-28.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
$6.33 €5.66
176.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.41 €1.26
14.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$2.16 €1.93
28.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Celje
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.30
$1.30 €1.17
-33.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,825
$28.27 €25.32
91.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.04
$2.12 €1.90
-45.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.80
$1.13 €1.02
-53.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.7
$19.34 €17.32
-87.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.88
$1.59 €1.43
-8.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.5K
$29.0K €25.9K
-27.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.0K
$23.8K €21.3K
13.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Celje
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,098
$246 €220
-74.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$8.81 €7.89
38.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$21.18 €18.97
-5.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Celje
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
$33.27 €29.80
12.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$11.27 €10.09
-66.55%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$9.00 €8.06
-27.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Celje
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$632 €566
16.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.2K
$13.7K €12.2K
8.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Celje
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,801
$114 €102
-52.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$42.92 €38.44
-42.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,087
$109 €98.0
-16.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,427
$144 €129
-50.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Celje
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$724 €649
-33.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$570 €510
-45.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$1,141 €1,022
-11.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$832 €745
-23.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.7K
$3,408 €3,052
-30.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$2,557 €2,290
-37.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Celje
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$1,517 €1,359
-61.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.52
58.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Celje: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Celje
$570 84.4% $261
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Celje
$266 13.6% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Celje
$184 69.7% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Celje
$276 192% $181
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Celje
$197 154% $119
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Celje
$41 32.7% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Celje
$51 1.9% $1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Chiang Mai and $724 in Celje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Celje pays about 2.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $50 in Celje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $266 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇸🇮 Celje
🕒 Local time
03:10 3:10 AM
21:10 9:10 PM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
37,872
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Celje 8,040 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Celje

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 Celje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Chiang Mai and in Celje?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,585 in Celje, so Chiang Mai is about 41% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 61% lower in Chiang Mai. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Chiang Mai and in Celje?
Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Chiang Mai versus $724 in Celje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Chiang Mai or Celje?
All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,585 in Celje – Chiang Mai is about 41% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do commuting costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Celje?
A monthly transit pass in Celje runs roughly 48% less than in Chiang Mai. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city is feasible on a $800 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Chiang Mai and Celje?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How do I decide between Chiang Mai and Celje?
It comes down to priorities – Chiang Mai wins on affordability, Celje on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?