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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $899 in Resen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,345 in Resen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,791 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 36% lower, Resen 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$5.78 MKD 310

-66.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$33.52 MKD 1,799

-45.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.75 MKD 362

10.81%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.28 MKD 122

-11.40%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$2.03 MKD 109

-58.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.29 MKD 69.0

-72.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.59 MKD 139

-17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.70 MKD 145

32.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.34 MKD 71.9

23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.68 MKD 36.61

130.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.75 MKD 94.1

-32.00%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.04 MKD 109

-4.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.43 MKD 506

71.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.13 MKD 383

-58.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.40 MKD 719

-18.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.01 MKD 54.3

168.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.37 MKD 73.7

-14.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.25 MKD 67.3

35.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.64 MKD 87.9

-2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.83 MKD 44.69

66.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.91 MKD 48.60

31.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.58 MKD 31.33

15.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.54 MKD 28.98

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.05 MKD 164

52.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.45 MKD 400

136.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.95 MKD 51.0

95.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.57 MKD 84.3

110.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.68 MKD 36.70

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$20.59 MKD 1,105

-6.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.91 MKD 48.88

49.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.53 MKD 28.45

152.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.45 MKD 346

27.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.48 MKD 79.5

-17.57%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$32.5K MKD 1.7M

-34.32%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

-23.40%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$145 MKD 7,768

-51.16%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$17.69 MKD 950

-20.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$15.61 MKD 838

12.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$26.59 MKD 1,427

58.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.67 MKD 251

26.77%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$218 MKD 11.7K

41.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,200 MKD 64.4K

1139.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$78.0 MKD 4,186

-28.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$39.47 MKD 2,119

-33.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$74.9 MKD 4,018

10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$110 MKD 5,891

-35.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$285 MKD 15.3K

51.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$198 MKD 10.6K

20.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$563 MKD 30.2K

46.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$308 MKD 16.6K

66.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,572 MKD 84.4K

21.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,191 MKD 63.9K

23.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Resen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $285 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Resen. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $202 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 $1,292 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 $309 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 $861 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 $861 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.