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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,171 in Leova, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,958 in Leova, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,745 in Leova, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 27% cheaper than Leova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Leova are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Leova 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$10.80 MDL 190

-81.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$34.77 MDL 610

-46.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$9.85 MDL 173

-20.20%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$0.84 MDL 14.81

141.67%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.52 MDL 9.05

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.42 MDL 7.45

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.62 MDL 45.98

-18.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.89 MDL 50.7

26.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.74 MDL 30.47

-0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.57 MDL 9.91

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.38 MDL 24.18

-13.04%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.37 MDL 24.09

43.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$14.54 MDL 255

11.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.36 MDL 41.42

29.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$4.10 MDL 71.8

163.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.39 MDL 24.35

99.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$0.89 MDL 15.61

31.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.01 MDL 17.73

69.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.16 MDL 20.30

37.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.62 MDL 28.46

-14.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.57 MDL 9.96

103.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.45 MDL 7.98

46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$1.04 MDL 18.16

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.68 MDL 82.1

-0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$15.27 MDL 268

16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.18 MDL 20.70

51.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.81 MDL 49.25

18.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.40 MDL 6.96

127.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$29.04 MDL 509

-35.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$2.98 MDL 52.3

-52.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.53 MDL 9.29

152.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$3.50 MDL 61.4

131.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.50 MDL 26.30

-18.00%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$34.8K MDL 611.2K

-38.48%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$35.9K MDL 630.4K

-39.27%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$197 MDL 3,448

-63.71%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$5.72 MDL 100

144.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$21.71 MDL 381

-17.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$35.74 MDL 627

14.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$11.73 MDL 206

-41.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.56 MDL 79.9

25.44%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$86.9 MDL 1,525

-35.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$59.3 MDL 1,041

-56.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$100 MDL 1,755

-15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$119 MDL 2,080

-40.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$876 MDL 15.4K

-51.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$360 MDL 6,318

-32.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$1,548 MDL 27.2K

-48.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,138 MDL 20.0K

-55.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$2,554 MDL 44.8K

-24.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$1,972 MDL 34.6K

-25.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$667 MDL 11.7K

-10.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.19

-30.46%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Leova: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $876 in Leova. 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 12% higher in Leova, 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 $35.00 in Leova. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Leova – so Leova 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 Leova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leova costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,757 in Leova. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 56% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% cheaper in Leova – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Leova at $1,171. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leova it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,171 in Leova. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Leova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.