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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,229 in Leskovac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,822 in Leskovac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,415 in Leskovac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 31% cheaper than Leskovac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Leskovac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Leskovac 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$9.61 RSD 977

-78.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$48.97 RSD 4,980

-61.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$11.69 RSD 1,189

-32.76%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.06 RSD 209

-1.46%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.10 RSD 214

-61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.45 RSD 148

-75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.51 RSD 255

-14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.93 RSD 298

25.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.47 RSD 149

17.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.89 RSD 90.2

76.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.05 RSD 310

-60.66%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.86 RSD 291

-31.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.43 RSD 1,163

41.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.51 RSD 764

-59.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$13.16 RSD 1,339

-17.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.39 RSD 141

99.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.94 RSD 198

-39.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.92 RSD 196

-10.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.81 RSD 285

-43.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.07 RSD 109

29.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.75 RSD 75.8

54.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.98 RSD 99.7

-32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.80 RSD 81.0

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.06 RSD 311

51.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.88 RSD 496

264.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.90 RSD 91.5

98.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.53 RSD 155

118.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.51 RSD 154

-39.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$35.72 RSD 3,633

-47.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$3.08 RSD 313

-54.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.91 RSD 92.7

47.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.07 RSD 719

14.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.80 RSD 183

-31.67%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$30.5K RSD 3.1M

-29.73%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$26.9K RSD 2.7M

-18.82%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$203 RSD 20.6K

-64.81%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$13.89 RSD 1,413

0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$33.14 RSD 3,371

-45.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$23.82 RSD 2,423

71.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$20.05 RSD 2,040

-65.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.96 RSD 505

15.32%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$445 RSD 45.2K

-30.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$5,186 RSD 527.5K

183.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$101 RSD 10.3K

-45.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$42.66 RSD 4,339

-38.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$113 RSD 11.5K

-25.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$118 RSD 12.0K

-40.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$346 RSD 35.2K

22.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$297 RSD 30.3K

-18.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$478 RSD 48.6K

66.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$412 RSD 41.9K

23.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,343 RSD 136.6K

42.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,136 RSD 115.5K

28.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$637 RSD 64.7K

-6.52%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Leskovac: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $346 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 7% 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 $49.00 in Leskovac. Groceries tell a different story – $244 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 44% 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 $1,844 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $445 in Leskovac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $852, than in Leskovac at $1,229. 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 $852 versus $1,229 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.