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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,393 in Leova, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,132 in Leova, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,871 in Leova, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 32% cheaper than Leova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Leova is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$10.58 MDL 182

-80.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$35.32 MDL 606

-43.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$9.62 MDL 165

-39.81%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$0.90 MDL 15.39

103.33%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.55 MDL 9.51

41.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.42 MDL 7.22

-26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.69 MDL 46.13

-13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.75 MDL 47.27

34.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.71 MDL 29.32

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.56 MDL 26.74

2.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.41 MDL 24.24

0.71%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.38 MDL 23.70

57.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$14.50 MDL 249

9.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$2.28 MDL 39.11

34.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$4.29 MDL 73.6

130.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.40 MDL 23.94

87.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.90 MDL 15.37

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.03 MDL 17.70

58.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.15 MDL 19.82

33.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.56 MDL 26.70

-20.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.59 MDL 10.18

91.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.45 MDL 7.66

64.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.06 MDL 18.20

-52.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$4.81 MDL 82.5

-11.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$15.60 MDL 268

15.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.18 MDL 20.27

44.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.70 MDL 46.33

7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.40 MDL 6.85

135.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$29.90 MDL 513

84.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$2.98 MDL 51.1

-58.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.56 MDL 9.59

-5.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$3.54 MDL 60.7

-32.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.43 MDL 24.61

0.70%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$35.1K MDL 602.3K

-39.62%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$36.4K MDL 624.1K

-24.92%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$199 MDL 3,418

-67.40%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$5.90 MDL 101

126.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$21.89 MDL 376

-4.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$89.1 MDL 1,528

-54.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$11.90 MDL 204

-66.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.77 MDL 81.8

40.67%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$88.8 MDL 1,524

-36.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$57.0 MDL 978

-56.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$99.7 MDL 1,710

-6.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$115 MDL 1,971

-34.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$650 MDL 11.2K

-25.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$550 MDL 9,441

-47.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,560 MDL 26.8K

-41.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,148 MDL 19.7K

-53.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$2,564 MDL 44.0K

-22.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$2,015 MDL 34.6K

-27.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$661 MDL 11.3K

-8.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.19

-22.53%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Leova: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $650 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 9% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Leova. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $197 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 47% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,090 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 85% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% 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 $950, than in Leova at $1,393. 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 $950 versus $1,393 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.