🙂A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,596 in Skuteč, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,288 in Skuteč, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,980 in Skuteč, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 46% cheaper than Skuteč, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Skuteč is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿65.8
$8.76Kč 186
-77.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.35฿617
$43.74Kč 927
-58.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.48฿252
$8.64Kč 183
-13.43%
Cappuccino
$2.02฿67.8
$2.90Kč 61.4
-30.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85฿28.50
$1.89Kč 40.12
-55.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.96
$1.37Kč 29.03
-73.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.14฿71.8
$2.33Kč 49.40
-8.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59฿121
$2.77Kč 58.8
29.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65฿55.5
$1.14Kč 24.07
44.74%
White Bread(500g)
$1.57฿52.7
$1.46Kč 30.94
7.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19฿40.02
$2.36Kč 49.97
-49.58%
Eggs
$1.94฿65.1
$2.94Kč 62.2
-34.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.19฿544
$12.39Kč 263
30.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.99฿101
$9.45Kč 200
-68.36%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.94฿368
$12.79Kč 271
-14.46%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71฿91.2
$1.68Kč 35.59
61.31%
Banana(1kg)
$1.17฿39.25
$1.79Kč 37.84
-34.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.69฿56.7
$2.20Kč 46.53
-23.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.60฿54.0
$3.40Kč 72.0
-52.94%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38฿46.54
$1.32Kč 27.95
4.55%
Onion(1kg)
$1.20฿40.45
$1.14Kč 24.25
5.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿22.50
$1.50Kč 31.75
-55.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.73
$0.80Kč 17.02
-30.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.64฿156
$7.11Kč 151
-34.74%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.62฿593
$7.87Kč 167
123.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.5
$0.93Kč 19.67
100.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30฿111
$1.84Kč 39.08
79.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿29.68
$1.18Kč 25.03
-25.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.34฿650
$25.46Kč 539
-24.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36฿45.90
$2.14Kč 45.26
-36.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34฿44.98
$1.32Kč 27.98
1.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.21฿276
$14.63Kč 310
-43.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.22฿41.18
$1.73Kč 36.61
-29.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K฿718.1K
$28.5KKč 602.9K
-24.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿757.7K
$30.3KKč 642.1K
-25.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.7฿2,376
$295Kč 6,249
-76.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.04฿472
$26.52Kč 562
-47.06%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.49฿588
$20.44Kč 433
-14.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.15฿1,417
$53.2Kč 1,128
-20.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88฿231
$16.99Kč 360
-59.51%
Cinema Ticket
$5.92฿199
$10.42Kč 221
-43.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$309฿10.4K
$404Kč 8,570
-23.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.9K฿500.4K
$10.1KKč 214.4K
47.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8฿1,875
$83.6Kč 1,770
-33.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.11฿878
$36.88Kč 781
-29.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.0฿2,792
$94.3Kč 1,998
-11.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.5฿2,369
$110Kč 2,339
-36.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$432฿14.5K
$665Kč 14.1K
-35.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$239฿8,035
$571Kč 12.1K
-58.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$822฿27.7K
$1,150Kč 24.4K
-28.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$512฿17.2K
$858Kč 18.2K
-40.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,915฿64.4K
$5,375Kč 113.9K
-64.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,467฿49.3K
$3,408Kč 72.2K
-56.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Skuteč
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$579฿19.5K
$1,322Kč 28.0K
-56.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
5.45
-8.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026
Last update for Skuteč: July 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $665 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 128% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Skuteč. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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 85% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,394 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $404 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 7% 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 $861, than in Skuteč at $1,596. 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 $861 versus $1,596 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