🙂A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,700 in Skuteč, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,403 in Skuteč, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,105 in Skuteč, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 44% cheaper than Skuteč, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Skuteč is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08฿68.6
$8.35Kč 174
-75.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64฿646
$48.36Kč 1,005
-59.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.65฿186
$7.81Kč 162
-27.66%
Cappuccino
$1.81฿59.4
$3.34Kč 69.4
-45.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71฿23.45
$2.16Kč 44.86
-67.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32฿10.38
$1.54Kč 32.08
-79.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.24฿73.6
$2.31Kč 48.10
-3.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿119
$2.85Kč 59.3
27.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.96฿64.4
$1.16Kč 24.02
68.97%
White Bread(500g)
$1.50฿49.39
$1.47Kč 30.55
2.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.34฿43.93
$2.34Kč 48.57
-42.74%
Eggs
$2.26฿74.5
$3.22Kč 66.9
-29.81%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.26฿535
$12.35Kč 257
31.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.95฿97.1
$9.69Kč 201
-69.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.94฿327
$12.39Kč 258
-19.77%
Apples(1kg)
$2.57฿84.6
$1.75Kč 36.35
46.86%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06฿34.73
$1.79Kč 37.21
-40.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.61฿53.0
$2.49Kč 51.7
-35.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.52฿49.97
$3.09Kč 64.2
-50.81%
Potato(1kg)
$1.27฿41.77
$0.97Kč 20.06
30.93%
Onion(1kg)
$1.07฿35.06
$1.00Kč 20.70
7.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.72฿23.68
$1.69Kč 35.14
-57.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.72
$0.79Kč 16.38
-35.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19฿138
$7.42Kč 154
-43.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.87฿587
$7.58Kč 158
135.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69฿55.7
$0.83Kč 17.29
103.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84฿93.3
$2.05Kč 42.71
38.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.93฿30.43
$1.02Kč 21.24
-8.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.9฿1,771
$27.28Kč 567
97.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.23฿40.59
$2.46Kč 51.1
-50.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58฿18.96
$1.49Kč 30.93
-61.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.42฿79.7
$15.58Kč 324
-84.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.41฿46.43
$1.71Kč 35.52
-17.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K฿705.1K
$30.0KKč 624.2K
-28.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K฿898.7K
$31.9KKč 663.7K
-14.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.7฿2,093
$299Kč 6,210
-78.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.85฿423
$23.92Kč 497
-46.28%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.22฿665
$20.17Kč 419
0.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.74฿1,274
$62.6Kč 1,302
-38.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.97฿130
$19.31Kč 401
-79.44%
Cinema Ticket
$6.74฿222
$11.85Kč 246
-43.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$778฿25.6K
$441Kč 9,175
76.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.6K฿480.4K
$11.0KKč 228.2K
33.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3฿1,785
$97.0Kč 2,016
-44.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.45฿837
$39.47Kč 820
-35.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.3฿3,102
$100Kč 2,084
-5.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.4฿2,415
$144Kč 2,983
-48.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$490฿16.1K
$652Kč 13.5K
-24.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$289฿9,512
$631Kč 13.1K
-54.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$894฿29.4K
$1,308Kč 27.2K
-31.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$517฿17.0K
$1,023Kč 21.3K
-49.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,955฿64.3K
$4,370Kč 90.8K
-55.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,477฿48.6K
$3,237Kč 67.3K
-54.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$602฿19.8K
$1,330Kč 27.6K
-54.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
5
11.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026
Last update for Skuteč: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $652 in Skuteč. 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 121% higher in Skuteč, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $48.00 in Skuteč. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $261 – 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 Skuteč: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Skuteč?
Skuteč 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 and in Skuteč?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,551 in Skuteč. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Skuteč?
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 in Skuteč?
Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $441 in Skuteč. 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 in Skuteč?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Skuteč, 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 in Skuteč?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Skuteč at $1,700. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skuteč it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Skuteč?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,700 in Skuteč. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Skuteč?
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 to Skuteč?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skuteč makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared