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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,448 in Ostrava, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,151 in Ostrava, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,854 in Ostrava, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 40% cheaper than Ostrava, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Ostrava is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$9.15 Kč 190

-78.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$46.14 Kč 960

-59.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.29 Kč 172

-5.67%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.93 Kč 60.9

-33.45%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.91 Kč 39.78

-55.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.58 Kč 32.97

-77.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.16 Kč 44.86

-1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.86 Kč 59.5

30.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.13 Kč 23.50

51.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.35 Kč 28.03

20.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.37 Kč 49.40

-51.90%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.98 Kč 62.0

-35.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.49 Kč 239

41.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$10.08 Kč 210

-69.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$14.77 Kč 307

-26.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.66 Kč 34.44

65.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.86 Kč 38.65

-34.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.21 Kč 46.06

-26.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.94 Kč 61.2

-45.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.10 Kč 22.93

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.12 Kč 23.34

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.36 Kč 28.36

-51.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.65 Kč 13.55

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.42 Kč 154

-36.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.29 Kč 152

155.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.94 Kč 19.64

91.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.85 Kč 38.48

74.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.28 Kč 26.55

-29.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$25.44 Kč 529

-24.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.85 Kč 38.50

-23.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.23 Kč 25.60

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$23.39 Kč 487

-66.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.66 Kč 34.49

-23.49%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$31.5K Kč 654.8K

-32.38%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$28.9K Kč 600.6K

-23.05%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$220 Kč 4,584

-68.64%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$29.51 Kč 614

-52.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$18.81 Kč 391

-4.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$54.7 Kč 1,139

-24.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.47 Kč 405

-64.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$9.42 Kč 196

-37.15%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$433 Kč 9,015

-30.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$9,482 Kč 197.3K

57.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$79.6 Kč 1,656

-31.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$51.1 Kč 1,063

-47.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$85.5 Kč 1,779

-0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$94.2 Kč 1,960

-25.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$583 Kč 12.1K

-26.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$484 Kč 10.1K

-50.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,130 Kč 23.5K

-29.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$858 Kč 17.9K

-39.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$3,395 Kč 70.6K

-41.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,387 Kč 49.7K

-38.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,782 Kč 37.1K

-65.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

-9.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ostrava: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $583 in Ostrava. 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 189% higher in Ostrava, 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 $46.00 in Ostrava. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $260 – 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 Ostrava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ostrava costs about 67% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,172 in Ostrava. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $433 in Ostrava. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Ostrava, 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 $866, than in Ostrava at $1,448. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ostrava it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,448 in Ostrava. 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, Ostrava makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.