Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ostrava

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,523 in Ostrava, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Ostrava
Learn more

Ostrava Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Ostrava

🇨🇿 Czech Republic

$1,523

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Ostrava actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,523 in Ostrava, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Ostrava $1,523

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,314 in Ostrava, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Ostrava $2,314

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,104 in Ostrava, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Ostrava $3,104

Chiang Mai is about 39% cheaper than Ostrava, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Ostrava is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$10.43 Kč 227

-78.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$48.97 Kč 1,067

-61.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$8.35 Kč 182

-33.53%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.22 Kč 70.3

-48.14%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.83 Kč 39.84

-65.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$1.48 Kč 32.23

-79.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$2.31 Kč 50.4

2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.25 Kč 49.05

62.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.13 Kč 24.67

72.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

$1.58 Kč 34.45

-8.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.03

$2.57 Kč 56.0

-48.25%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.45 Kč 75.1

-33.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$11.75 Kč 256

40.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$10.57 Kč 230

-73.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$12.94 Kč 282

-28.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.68 Kč 36.52

39.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.79

$1.81 Kč 39.42

-46.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.25 Kč 48.97

-28.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$3.60 Kč 78.5

-58.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

$1.03 Kč 22.54

24.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.18

$1.05 Kč 22.88

4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.48 Kč 32.15

-52.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.70 Kč 15.34

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$7.76 Kč 169

-46.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$6.98 Kč 152

151.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.94 Kč 20.50

71.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.03 Kč 44.34

36.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.30

$1.41 Kč 30.70

-38.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$25.49 Kč 555

112.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

$2.32 Kč 50.5

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.60 Kč 34.79

-66.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$23.04 Kč 502

-89.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.88

$1.91 Kč 41.55

-24.08%

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

$21.1K ฿710.5K

$30.8K Kč 671.0K

-31.61%

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

$26.9K ฿909.0K

$32.7K Kč 712.6K

-17.61%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$225 Kč 4,912

-72.42%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$23.59 Kč 514

-48.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$17.24 Kč 376

16.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$55.2 Kč 1,203

-32.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$19.44 Kč 424

-80.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$9.35 Kč 204

-30.59%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$363 Kč 7,918

102.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

$9,454 Kč 206.0K

56.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$76.3 Kč 1,664

-30.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$42.08 Kč 917

-41.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$97.9 Kč 2,133

-6.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,427

$110 Kč 2,392

-34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$762 Kč 16.6K

-36.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$552 Kč 12.0K

-44.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,486 Kč 32.4K

-32.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,010 Kč 22.0K

-37.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$3,636 Kč 79.2K

-35.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$2,644 Kč 57.6K

-39.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$1,689 Kč 36.8K

-65.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.06

10.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ostrava: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Ostrava

$552 36.2% 78.6% $243

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Ostrava

$267 17.5% 13.8% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Ostrava

$147 9.6% 35.1% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Ostrava

$266 17.5% 182% $172

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Ostrava

$176 11.6% 128% $99

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ostrava

$41 2.7% 32.5% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ostrava

$74 4.9% 47% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $762 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 in Ostrava are about 2.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $49 in Ostrava. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $267 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇿 Ostrava

🕒 Local time

06:14 6:14 AM

00:14 12:14 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

304,880

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Czech Koruna CZK Kč

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 CZK = 4.59 USD

100 CZK = 4.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CZK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Czech Koruna exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 21.79 CZK (100 CZK = 4.59 USD). 1 EUR = 24.33 CZK (100 CZK = 4.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Chiang Mai
Ostrava

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 Ostrava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ostrava costs about 63% 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 $2,285 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $762 in Ostrava.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $363 in Ostrava. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Ostrava, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,523 in Ostrava. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $936 versus $1,523 in Ostrava. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Ostrava makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.