Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Fushe-kruje

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,075 in Fushe-kruje, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Fushe-kruje
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Fushe-kruje Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Fushe-kruje

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,075

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Fushe-kruje

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 Fushe-kruje actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,075 in Fushe-kruje, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Fushe-kruje $1,075

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,649 in Fushe-kruje, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Fushe-kruje $1,649

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,222 in Fushe-kruje, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Fushe-kruje $2,222

Chiang Mai is about 13% cheaper than Fushe-kruje, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Fushe-kruje are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Fushe-kruje 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$10.07 ALL 816

-78.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$39.65 ALL 3,214

-53.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$7.33 ALL 594

-23.60%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.92 ALL 155

-13.54%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$1.87 ALL 152

-65.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$0.69 ALL 55.8

-56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$2.42 ALL 196

-4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.31 ALL 268

10.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.99 ALL 161

1.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$0.93 ALL 75.5

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$2.11 ALL 171

-34.12%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$2.65 ALL 214

-10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$10.15 ALL 823

62.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$8.49 ALL 688

-68.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$14.49 ALL 1,175

-37.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.90 ALL 154

26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$2.35 ALL 190

-55.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$1.64 ALL 133

1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.65 ALL 134

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$1.06 ALL 85.7

16.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$1.24 ALL 101

-12.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$1.19 ALL 96.5

-36.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$0.75 ALL 60.7

-32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$4.29 ALL 348

-3.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$8.19 ALL 664

118.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.64 ALL 133

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$1.80 ALL 146

56.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$0.50 ALL 40.72

86.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$19.94 ALL 1,616

165.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$3.62 ALL 293

-67.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$3.63 ALL 294

-95.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$18.42 ALL 1,493

-90.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$2.22 ALL 180

-33.78%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$33.9K ALL 2.8M

-38.10%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$24.3K ALL 2.0M

8.96%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$61.6 ALL 4,995

1.53%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$16.83 ALL 1,364

-31.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$17.16 ALL 1,391

18.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$57.6 ALL 4,666

-34.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$8.55 ALL 693

-23.86%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$98.5 ALL 7,984

638.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$8,138 ALL 659.6K

103.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$49.50 ALL 4,012

8.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$47.89 ALL 3,881

-48.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$98.2 ALL 7,957

-7.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$113 ALL 9,198

-36.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$481 ALL 39.0K

0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$317 ALL 25.7K

-2.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$696 ALL 56.4K

52.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$466 ALL 37.8K

41.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$2,008 ALL 162.7K

20.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$1,323 ALL 107.2K

21.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Fushe-kruje: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Fushe-kruje

$317 29.5% 2.3% $7.2

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Fushe-kruje

$251 23.3% 5.9% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Fushe-kruje

$139 12.9% 28.4% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Fushe-kruje

$96 8.9% 1.2% $1.1

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Fushe-kruje

$155 14.4% 102% $78

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Fushe-kruje

$44 4.1% 25.5% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Fushe-kruje

$75 6.9% 46.7% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $481 in Fushe-kruje. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $40 in Fushe-kruje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $251 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇱 Fushe-kruje

🕒 Local time

20:56 8:56 PM

14:56 2:56 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

18,477

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 ALL = 1.23 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 81.05 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.86 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Fushe-kruje 7,760 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Fushe-kruje

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 Fushe-kruje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fushe-kruje costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,613 in Fushe-kruje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $481 in Chiang Mai and $481 in Fushe-kruje. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $99 in Fushe-kruje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Fushe-kruje, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,075 in Fushe-kruje. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,075 in Fushe-kruje. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.