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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $555 in Kobryn, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $924 in Kobryn, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,292 in Kobryn, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 56% more than Kobryn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kobryn are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kobryn 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$9.13 BYN 25.56

-78.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$30.86 BYN 86.4

-39.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.67 BYN 15.88

37.92%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$1.68 BYN 4.70

16.07%

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

$0.85 ฿27.88

$0.64 BYN 1.79

32.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.63

$0.45 BYN 1.26

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.20 BYN 3.36

77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.12 BYN 5.95

75.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$0.80 BYN 2.23

113.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$0.57 BYN 1.60

185.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.30

$1.17 BYN 3.28

-2.56%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$1.29 BYN 3.61

49.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$6.43 BYN 17.99

152.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.22 BYN 11.81

-26.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$7.66 BYN 21.45

42.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.3

$1.16 BYN 3.26

137.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.68

$1.76 BYN 4.92

-31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.83 BYN 5.13

-11.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.0

$2.58 BYN 7.23

-38.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.89

$0.46 BYN 1.30

204.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.32

$0.60 BYN 1.69

95.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.69

$1.33 BYN 3.73

-50.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.29

$0.59 BYN 1.66

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$1.83 BYN 5.12

156.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$9.17 BYN 25.67

103.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$0.93 BYN 2.60

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.80 BYN 5.03

79.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.37

$0.30 BYN 0.85

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$12.81 BYN 35.87

49.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.10

$1.41 BYN 3.94

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.29

$0.32 BYN 0.90

303.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$5.80 BYN 16.24

35.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.75

$0.78 BYN 2.17

62.82%

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

$21.3K ฿697.7K

$20.1K BYN 56.3K

5.81%

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

$22.2K ฿728.3K

$23.5K BYN 65.8K

-5.46%

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

$69.1 ฿2,265

$55.2 BYN 155

25.13%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$7.54 BYN 21.11

86.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿590

$10.33 BYN 28.93

74.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,346

$30.05 BYN 84.2

36.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$4.64 BYN 12.98

27.59%

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

$299 ฿9,805

$304 BYN 852

-1.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.3K

$10.3K BYN 28.7K

45.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,794

$50.4 BYN 141

8.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$42.31 BYN 118

-36.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,787

$116 BYN 324

-26.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,315

$98.7 BYN 276

-28.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,782

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.7K

$1,168 BYN 3,271

69.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$797 BYN 2,231

85.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.77

-66.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kobryn: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Kobryn. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $165 in Kobryn – so Kobryn 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 Kobryn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 56% more than Kobryn, 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 $832 in Kobryn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $304 in Kobryn. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $555 in Kobryn, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kobryn costs $555 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 Kobryn. 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.