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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $988 in Resen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,492 in Resen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,997 in Resen, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 6% cheaper than Resen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Resen are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Resen 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$9.48 MKD 507

-78.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$35.55 MKD 1,903

-44.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.80 MKD 364

-16.62%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.18 MKD 117

-16.97%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.89 MKD 101

-59.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.31 MKD 70.2

-73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.63 MKD 141

-15.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.65 MKD 142

43.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.33 MKD 71.4

54.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.76 MKD 40.91

98.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.83 MKD 98.0

-23.50%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.45 MKD 131

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$8.27 MKD 443

95.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$7.34 MKD 393

-60.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$14.84 MKD 794

-36.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.47 MKD 78.6

82.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.47 MKD 78.8

-25.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.37 MKD 73.2

18.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.09 MKD 112

-30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.91 MKD 48.77

40.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.86 MKD 46.23

23.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.60 MKD 32.12

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.63 MKD 33.68

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.65 MKD 195

15.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$7.48 MKD 400

144.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.08 MKD 57.9

50.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.54 MKD 82.3

88.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.77 MKD 41.23

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$24.07 MKD 1,288

123.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.12 MKD 59.9

4.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.63 MKD 33.81

-7.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$7.99 MKD 427

-70.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.61 MKD 86.0

-9.94%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$36.4K MKD 1.9M

-42.24%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$27.9K MKD 1.5M

-5.40%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$165 MKD 8,816

-61.36%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$18.71 MKD 1,002

-31.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$19.33 MKD 1,034

6.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$25.43 MKD 1,361

53.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$18.76 MKD 1,004

-79.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.67 MKD 411

-14.21%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$369 MKD 19.7K

112.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$5,800 MKD 310.4K

152.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$85.8 MKD 4,592

-35.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$38.45 MKD 2,058

-35.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$106 MKD 5,652

-10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$117 MKD 6,250

-36.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$265 MKD 14.2K

85.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$170 MKD 9,086

69.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$480 MKD 25.7K

85.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$307 MKD 16.4K

69.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,590 MKD 85.1K

24.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,202 MKD 64.3K

20.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.23

31.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Resen: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $265 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Resen. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $214 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 6% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,482 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $369 in Resen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Resen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Resen at $988. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Resen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $988 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.