🙂A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,551 in Rychnov nad Kněžnou, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,194 in Rychnov nad Kněžnou, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,836 in Rychnov nad Kněžnou, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 44% cheaper than Rychnov nad Kněžnou, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Rychnov nad Kněžnou is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.98฿64.3
$6.86Kč 143
-71.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.80฿612
$36.72Kč 764
-48.80%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.75฿252
$8.00Kč 166
-3.13%
Cappuccino
$1.92฿62.5
$2.76Kč 57.4
-30.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79฿25.79
$1.10Kč 22.88
-28.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.62
$0.63Kč 13.14
-42.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$1.99Kč 41.41
11.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$2.38Kč 49.55
53.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65฿53.8
$1.00Kč 20.78
65.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.2
$1.33Kč 27.76
22.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19฿38.86
$2.28Kč 47.39
-47.81%
Eggs
$2.00฿65.1
$2.87Kč 59.6
-30.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.98฿520
$10.02Kč 208
59.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.03฿98.5
$9.74Kč 202
-68.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86฿354
$13.08Kč 272
-16.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.76฿90.0
$1.42Kč 29.51
94.37%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18฿38.42
$1.57Kč 32.67
-24.84%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.64฿53.5
$2.28Kč 47.46
-28.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.52฿49.51
$3.38Kč 70.3
-55.03%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38฿45.10
$1.38Kč 28.60
-
Onion(1kg)
$1.19฿38.84
$1.40Kč 29.16
-15.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70฿22.86
$1.58Kč 32.79
-55.70%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.13
$0.59Kč 12.22
-5.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.58฿149
$6.67Kč 139
-31.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.56฿539
$4.18Kč 87.0
296.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿59.5
$0.86Kč 17.78
112.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20฿104
$2.21Kč 46.01
44.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿28.56
$1.14Kč 23.62
-22.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.72฿610
$25.36Kč 527
-26.18%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36฿44.16
$1.37Kč 28.56
-0.73%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34฿43.65
$1.54Kč 31.94
-12.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿256
$13.90Kč 289
-43.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23฿39.92
$1.63Kč 33.91
-24.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K฿704.3K
$45.0KKč 935.9K
-51.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿734.3K
$34.6KKč 719.0K
-34.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.5฿2,298
$293Kč 6,096
-75.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.68฿445
$27.56Kč 573
-50.36%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.45฿568
$21.84Kč 454
-20.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.33฿1,346
$54.1Kč 1,125
-23.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿227
$17.07Kč 355
-59.23%
Cinema Ticket
$5.77฿188
$7.09Kč 147
-18.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$307฿10.0K
$411Kč 8,549
-25.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.6K฿475.9K
$10.2KKč 211.8K
43.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8฿1,817
$81.4Kč 1,692
-31.42%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.21฿854
$25.64Kč 533
2.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.8฿2,793
$74.8Kč 1,555
14.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2฿2,353
$108Kč 2,255
-33.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$430฿14.0K
$688Kč 14.3K
-37.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$239฿7,774
$552Kč 11.5K
-56.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$817฿26.6K
$1,151Kč 23.9K
-28.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$511฿16.6K
$881Kč 18.3K
-42.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,983฿64.6K
$5,015Kč 104.3K
-60.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,484฿48.3K
$3,350Kč 69.7K
-55.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$619฿20.2K
$1,431Kč 29.8K
-56.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
5.43
-7.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026
Last update for Rychnov nad Kněžnou: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $688 in Rychnov nad Kněžnou. 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 131% higher in Rychnov nad Kněžnou, 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 $37.00 in Rychnov nad Kněžnou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $242 – 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 Rychnov nad Kněžnou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Rychnov nad Kněžnou?
Rychnov nad Kněžnou costs about 79% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Rychnov nad Kněžnou?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,326 in Rychnov nad Kněžnou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Rychnov nad Kněžnou?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Rychnov nad Kněžnou?
Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $411 in Rychnov nad Kněžnou. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Rychnov nad Kněžnou?
Groceries cost about 0% more in Rychnov nad Kněžnou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Rychnov nad Kněžnou?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Rychnov nad Kněžnou at $1,551. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rychnov nad Kněžnou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Rychnov nad Kněžnou?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,551 in Rychnov nad Kněžnou. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Rychnov nad Kněžnou?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Rychnov nad Kněžnou?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rychnov nad Kněžnou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared