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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $783 in Gjilan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,180 in Gjilan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,576 in Gjilan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Gjilan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Gjilan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Gjilan 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.39 €3.82

-52.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$23.15 €20.18

-15.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.74 €5.01

-1.22%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.46 €1.27

23.97%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.13 €0.98

-31.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.96 €0.83

-63.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.70 €1.48

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$1.37 €1.20

176.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.34 €1.17

52.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.45 €0.39

235.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.37 €1.20

2.19%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.84 €1.61

22.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$8.07 €7.04

100.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.72 €5.86

-56.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$12.77 €11.13

-26.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.60 €1.39

67.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.65 €1.44

-33.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.84 €1.60

-11.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.71 €1.49

-14.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.95 €0.83

34.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.89 €0.78

19.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.87 €0.76

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.52 €0.45

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.50 €3.05

20.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.70 €4.97

220.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.03 €0.90

58.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.26 €1.10

130.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.60 €0.52

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$2.29 €2.00

-48.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.56 €0.48

3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$3.43 €2.99

-30.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.53 €1.33

-5.23%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$22.9K €20.0K

-8.29%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$26.4K €23.0K

-0.04%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$106 €92.8

-40.18%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$11.60 €10.11

11.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$24.06 €20.97

-14.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$20.41 €17.79

91.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$4.56 €3.97

44.30%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$172 €150

355.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$1,479 €1,290

891.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$43.37 €37.80

27.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$31.88 €27.79

-22.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$64.3 €56.1

46.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$83.6 €72.9

-11.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$283 €247

73.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$227 €198

26.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$482 €420

84.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$379 €330

37.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$960 €837

105.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$739 €645

95.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$466 €407

28.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.44

25.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Gjilan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $283 in Gjilan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Gjilan. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $194 in Gjilan – so Gjilan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Gjilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Gjilan, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,175 in Gjilan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gjilan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $23.00 in Gjilan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gjilan, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Gjilan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gjilan costs $783 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gjilan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.