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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $660 in Gjilan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,014 in Gjilan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,368 in Gjilan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Gjilan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gjilan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Gjilan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.32 €3.72

-55.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$19.90 €17.11

-6.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.53 €4.76

41.41%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.41 €1.21

38.30%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.17 €1.01

-27.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.91 €0.79

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.46 €1.26

45.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.36 €1.17

174.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.28 €1.10

33.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.45 €0.39

262.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.41 €1.21

-19.15%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.54 €1.33

25.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.17 €5.31

162.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.88 €4.20

-36.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.54 €9.07

3.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.26 €1.09

118.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.63 €1.41

-25.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.40 €1.20

15.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.22 €1.05

30.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.78 €0.67

79.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.81 €0.70

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.67 €0.58

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.56 €0.48

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.56 €3.06

31.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.71 €4.91

226.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.95 €0.82

89.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.43 €1.23

125.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.55 €0.48

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.32 €2.00

-39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.53 €0.46

143.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.87 €5.05

33.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.52 €1.30

-16.45%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$23.4K €20.1K

-9.05%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$25.0K €21.5K

-11.02%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$68.3 €58.7

1.16%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.53 €9.06

33.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$19.16 €16.48

-6.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$17.45 €15.01

135.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.54 €3.90

30.40%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$170 €146

75.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,932 €2,522

409.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$39.27 €33.78

39.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$30.91 €26.59

-13.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$55.3 €47.55

53.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$84.9 €73.0

-16.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$232 €199

84.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$177 €152

34.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$455 €392

75.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$342 €294

50.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$944 €812

109.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$726 €625

103.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$471 €405

31.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gjilan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $232 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 31% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Gjilan. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $164 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 31% more than Gjilan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $991 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $20.00 in Gjilan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $660 in Gjilan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gjilan costs $660 versus $866 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.