Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Korce

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,019 in Korce, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. The total is higher in Korce despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Korce
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Korce Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Korce

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,019

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,019 in Korce, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Korce $1,019

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,507 in Korce, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Korce $1,507

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,995 in Korce, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Korce $1,995

Chiang Mai is about 8% cheaper than Korce, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Korce are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Korce 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$6.20 ALL 503

-63.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$38.70 ALL 3,143

-50.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$6.33 ALL 514

-12.32%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.92 ALL 156

-13.02%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$1.78 ALL 144

-64.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.69 ALL 56.3

-55.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.43 ALL 198

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.53 ALL 205

44.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.88 ALL 153

3.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.99 ALL 80.6

45.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$2.11 ALL 171

-36.97%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.72 ALL 221

-16.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$10.16 ALL 825

61.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$8.75 ALL 711

-68.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$14.41 ALL 1,171

-35.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.22 ALL 99.2

92.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$2.22 ALL 181

-56.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.28 ALL 104

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.58 ALL 128

-5.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$1.05 ALL 85.1

21.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.04 ALL 84.8

5.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.05 ALL 85.3

-32.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.82 ALL 66.9

-40.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.42 ALL 359

-6.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$7.95 ALL 646

120.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.75 ALL 142

-8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.89 ALL 154

47.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.61 ALL 49.52

42.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$18.38 ALL 1,493

194.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$3.75 ALL 305

-69.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$3.74 ALL 304

-85.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$18.45 ALL 1,499

-86.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$2.29 ALL 186

-36.68%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$34.3K ALL 2.8M

-38.53%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$24.3K ALL 2.0M

11.06%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$62.8 ALL 5,103

-1.05%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$18.34 ALL 1,490

-33.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$15.73 ALL 1,277

27.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$33.85 ALL 2,749

10.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$18.70 ALL 1,519

-79.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$10.05 ALL 816

-35.42%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$220 ALL 17.8K

235.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$43.51 ALL 3,534

22.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$53.4 ALL 4,339

-53.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$109 ALL 8,813

-15.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$151 ALL 12.3K

-52.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$477 ALL 38.7K

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$300 ALL 24.4K

3.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$502 ALL 40.8K

100.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$308 ALL 25.0K

105.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,422 ALL 115.5K

66.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,118 ALL 90.8K

42.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$685 ALL 55.7K

-13.93%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Korce: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Korce

$300 29.4% 2.9% $9

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Korce

$246 24.1% 4.9% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Korce

$161 15.8% 47.7% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Korce

$97 9.5% 2.6% $2.4

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Korce

$119 11.7% 53.1% $41

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Korce

$43 4.3% 29.5% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Korce

$54 5.3% 7.3% $3.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $477 in Korce. 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 16% higher in Korce. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $39 in Korce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇱 Korce

🕒 Local time

14:08 2:08 PM

08:08 8:08 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

51,152

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 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 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 81.22 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.69 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Korce 7,690 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Korce

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 Korce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Korce costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 $1,529 in Korce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $477 in Korce. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $220 in Korce. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Korce, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,019 in Korce. 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 $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,019 in Korce. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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