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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $899 in Resen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,368 in Resen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,836 in Resen, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Resen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Resen are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Resen 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.67 MKD 299

-65.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$33.24 MKD 1,752

-43.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.49 MKD 342

20.49%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.22 MKD 117

-12.16%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.00 MKD 105

-57.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.29 MKD 68.1

-72.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.58 MKD 136

-17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.70 MKD 142

38.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.33 MKD 69.9

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.68 MKD 35.88

139.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.69 MKD 89.1

-32.54%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.04 MKD 108

-5.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.17 MKD 483

76.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.18 MKD 378

-56.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.65 MKD 719

-20.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.07 MKD 56.3

157.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.42 MKD 74.7

-14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.30 MKD 68.5

24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.57 MKD 83.0

1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.81 MKD 42.70

72.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.94 MKD 49.47

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.54 MKD 28.57

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.57 MKD 30.30

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.93 MKD 154

60.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.70 MKD 406

142.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.01 MKD 53.1

78.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.57 MKD 82.9

105.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.63 MKD 33.37

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$19.89 MKD 1,048

-3.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.91 MKD 47.79

54.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.50 MKD 26.19

158.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.61 MKD 348

18.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.47 MKD 77.7

-13.61%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

-34.35%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

-24.66%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$145 MKD 7,647

-52.40%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.90 MKD 943

-21.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$15.24 MKD 803

18.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$26.56 MKD 1,400

54.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.74 MKD 250

24.89%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$218 MKD 11.5K

37.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

1129.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$75.8 MKD 3,996

-27.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$39.74 MKD 2,094

-32.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$74.5 MKD 3,928

14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$112 MKD 5,914

-37.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$286 MKD 15.1K

49.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$197 MKD 10.4K

20.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$556 MKD 29.3K

44.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$313 MKD 16.5K

64.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,627 MKD 85.8K

21.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,116 MKD 58.8K

32.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

10.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Resen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $286 in Resen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Resen. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $203 in Resen – so Resen 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 Resen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Resen costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,349 in Resen. 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 $218 in Resen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Resen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $899 in Resen, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $899 in Resen. 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, Resen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.