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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,283 in Leskovac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,919 in Leskovac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,556 in Leskovac, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Leskovac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Leskovac 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$9.70 RSD 983

-78.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$59.8 RSD 6,056

-67.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$13.09 RSD 1,327

-56.68%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.09 RSD 212

-13.40%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.13 RSD 216

-63.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.50 RSD 152

-76.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.50 RSD 254

-11.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.91 RSD 295

30.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.51 RSD 153

35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.22 RSD 123

23.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.68 RSD 272

-47.76%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.85 RSD 289

-20.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$11.48 RSD 1,164

41.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$7.26 RSD 736

-60.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$16.11 RSD 1,633

-41.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.68 RSD 171

59.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.92 RSD 195

-43.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.95 RSD 197

-16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$3.16 RSD 320

-53.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.96 RSD 97.5

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.72 RSD 73.4

47.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.78 RSD 79.0

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.70 RSD 71.0

-24.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.24 RSD 429

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$4.81 RSD 488

280.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.93 RSD 93.8

75.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.52 RSD 154

90.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.47 RSD 149

-40.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$35.01 RSD 3,548

53.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$3.09 RSD 313

-62.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.00 RSD 101

-42.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$18.05 RSD 1,829

-86.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.92 RSD 194

-24.48%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$31.2K RSD 3.2M

-32.65%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$24.8K RSD 2.5M

6.38%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$227 RSD 23.0K

-71.94%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$19.76 RSD 2,002

-34.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$35.61 RSD 3,609

-42.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$23.28 RSD 2,359

67.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$19.37 RSD 1,963

-79.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.02 RSD 509

31.08%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$419 RSD 42.5K

87.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$11.6K RSD 1.2M

26.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$116 RSD 11.8K

-52.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$48.45 RSD 4,910

-48.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$122 RSD 12.4K

-23.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$163 RSD 16.5K

-54.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$339 RSD 34.3K

44.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$299 RSD 30.3K

-3.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$463 RSD 47.0K

92.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$414 RSD 42.0K

25.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,387 RSD 140.6K

42.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,157 RSD 117.3K

24.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$627 RSD 63.5K

-4.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.65

19.78%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Leskovac: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $339 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 4% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $60.0 in Leskovac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $245 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 38% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,924 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $419 in Leskovac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Leskovac, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Leskovac at $1,283. 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 $932 versus $1,283 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.