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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,222 in Leskovac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,784 in Leskovac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,346 in Leskovac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 29% cheaper than Leskovac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Leskovac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Leskovac 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$9.91 RSD 1,002

-80.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$48.39 RSD 4,894

-61.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$11.89 RSD 1,202

-34.82%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.14 RSD 216

-10.28%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$2.09 RSD 211

-62.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.49 RSD 151

-75.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.42 RSD 245

-8.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.00 RSD 304

22.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.46 RSD 148

13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.92 RSD 93.3

77.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.95 RSD 298

-59.66%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.83 RSD 286

-29.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.80 RSD 1,193

35.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.54 RSD 762

-59.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$13.00 RSD 1,314

-16.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.38 RSD 139

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.89 RSD 191

-37.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.94 RSD 196

-15.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.78 RSD 281

-45.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.08 RSD 109

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.75 RSD 75.4

58.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.97 RSD 98.5

-27.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.75 RSD 75.6

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.21 RSD 325

42.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$4.81 RSD 487

244.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.88 RSD 89.2

107.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.60 RSD 162

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.52 RSD 153

-42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$35.54 RSD 3,594

-47.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.19 RSD 323

-57.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.96 RSD 97.5

39.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.84 RSD 692

14.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.88 RSD 190

-34.57%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

-29.28%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$26.3K RSD 2.7M

-14.21%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$203 RSD 20.6K

-65.31%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$13.60 RSD 1,376

0.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$32.46 RSD 3,283

-46.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$23.79 RSD 2,406

73.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.53 RSD 1,975

-64.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.81 RSD 486

19.96%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$451 RSD 45.6K

-31.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,102 RSD 516.0K

186.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$102 RSD 10.3K

-45.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$41.77 RSD 4,224

-37.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$112 RSD 11.3K

-23.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$119 RSD 12.0K

-39.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$348 RSD 35.2K

23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$292 RSD 29.5K

-18.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$476 RSD 48.1K

71.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$416 RSD 42.0K

22.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,402 RSD 141.7K

41.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,130 RSD 114.3K

31.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$633 RSD 64.0K

-2.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

-10.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Leskovac: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $348 in Leskovac. 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 2% higher in Leskovac, 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 $48.00 in Leskovac. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $234 in Leskovac – so Leskovac 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 Leskovac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leskovac costs about 41% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,833 in Leskovac. 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.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $451 in Leskovac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Leskovac – 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 $869, than in Leskovac at $1,222. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leskovac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,222 in Leskovac. 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, Leskovac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.