Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Lushnje

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,191 in Lushnje, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Lushnje
Learn more

Lushnje Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Lushnje

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,191

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Lushnje

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Lushnje actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,191 in Lushnje, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Lushnje $1,191

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,855 in Lushnje, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Lushnje $1,855

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,519 in Lushnje, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Lushnje $2,519

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Lushnje, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Lushnje are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Lushnje 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$10.11 ALL 819

-78.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$55.5 ALL 4,501

-66.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$10.98 ALL 890

-49.00%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.25 ALL 183

-26.22%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$2.39 ALL 194

-72.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$1.31 ALL 106

-77.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$3.61 ALL 292

-35.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$4.19 ALL 340

-12.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.17 ALL 176

-6.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$1.19 ALL 96.6

18.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$2.45 ALL 199

-43.27%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$3.82 ALL 309

-37.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$12.72 ALL 1,031

29.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$8.99 ALL 729

-70.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$16.85 ALL 1,365

-46.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.92 ALL 156

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$2.42 ALL 196

-57.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$2.23 ALL 180

-25.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.83 ALL 148

-14.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$1.02 ALL 82.5

21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$1.32 ALL 107

-17.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$1.52 ALL 123

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$0.81 ALL 65.5

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$4.86 ALL 394

-15.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$10.63 ALL 862

68.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.59 ALL 129

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$2.05 ALL 166

37.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$0.51 ALL 41.22

82.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$19.83 ALL 1,607

166.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$3.75 ALL 304

-68.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$3.74 ALL 303

-95.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$18.90 ALL 1,532

-90.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$2.43 ALL 197

-39.51%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$33.2K ALL 2.7M

-36.69%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$29.7K ALL 2.4M

-10.83%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$101 ALL 8,197

-38.14%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$18.78 ALL 1,523

-38.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$19.86 ALL 1,609

2.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$56.5 ALL 4,582

-33.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$9.79 ALL 794

-33.50%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$353 ALL 28.6K

106.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$8,330 ALL 675.2K

98.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$49.90 ALL 4,044

7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$48.72 ALL 3,949

-49.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$120 ALL 9,737

-24.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$113 ALL 9,185

-36.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$491 ALL 39.8K

-2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$310 ALL 25.1K

-0.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$711 ALL 57.6K

48.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$473 ALL 38.3K

39.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$1,937 ALL 157.0K

24.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$1,323 ALL 107.2K

21.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$614 ALL 49.7K

-3.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.16

7.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Lushnje: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Lushnje

$310 26% 0.1% $0.3

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Lushnje

$289 24.3% 22.2% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Lushnje

$149 12.6% 38% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Lushnje

$140 11.7% 48% $45

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Lushnje

$182 15.3% 138% $106

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Lushnje

$44 3.7% 24.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Lushnje

$76 6.4% 49.5% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $491 in Lushnje. 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 3% higher in Lushnje, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $56 in Lushnje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $289 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇱 Lushnje

🕒 Local time

20:29 8:29 PM

14:29 2:29 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

31,105

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 ALL = 1.23 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 81.05 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.86 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Lushnje 7,770 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Lushnje

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lushnje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lushnje costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,787 in Lushnje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $481 in Chiang Mai and $491 in Lushnje. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $353 in Lushnje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Lushnje, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,191 in Lushnje. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,191 in Lushnje. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lushnje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.