Cost of Living Comparison Between Korce and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Korce and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Korce vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,463 per month in Korce vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,976 per month in Korce vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Korce costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Korce and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Korce 29% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.04 ALL 491

$2.04 ฿68.2

196.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.51 ALL 2,397

$18.71 ฿624

57.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ALL 382

$7.86 ฿262

-40.20%

Cappuccino

$1.88 ALL 152

$2.03 ฿67.7

-7.39%

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

$1.56 ALL 127

$0.80 ฿26.64

95.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ALL 71.1

$0.35 ฿11.68

151.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ALL 146

$2.14 ฿71.5

-16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ALL 221

$3.67 ฿122

-25.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ALL 167

$1.73 ฿57.6

18.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ALL 64.8

$1.57 ฿52.4

-49.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 165

$1.20 ฿39.99

69.17%

Eggs

$3.03 ALL 246

$1.97 ฿65.8

53.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 ALL 811

$16.23 ฿541

-38.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.65 ALL 622

$3.06 ฿102

150.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 ALL 1,092

$10.80 ฿360

24.44%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 ALL 67.9

$2.77 ฿92.3

-69.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 ALL 181

$1.17 ฿38.94

90.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 ALL 73.1

$1.71 ฿57.0

-47.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 ALL 101

$1.59 ฿53.2

-22.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 ALL 78.0

$1.39 ฿46.51

-30.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ALL 72.1

$1.16 ฿38.56

-23.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ALL 93.7

$0.66 ฿22.05

74.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ALL 61.5

$0.52 ฿17.31

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 321

$4.65 ฿155

-14.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.46 ALL 769

$17.78 ฿593

-46.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ALL 138

$1.79 ฿59.6

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ALL 146

$3.34 ฿111

-46.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.46

$0.91 ฿30.27

-50.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 ALL 1,559

$18.64 ฿622

2.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ALL 280

$1.41 ฿47.04

143.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 ALL 253

$1.34 ฿44.70

132.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.89 ALL 1,453

$8.11 ฿270

120.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 ALL 177

$1.23 ฿41.16

76.42%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.8M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

63.44%

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

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

14.65%

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

$68.3 ALL 5,547

$71.3 ฿2,379

-4.29%

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

$17.67 ALL 1,436

$14.01 ฿467

26.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.68 ALL 949

$17.93 ฿598

-34.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 ALL 4,494

$40.82 ฿1,362

35.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.10 ALL 2,039

$6.88 ฿230

264.83%

Cinema Ticket

$8.35 ALL 678

$5.72 ฿191

45.98%

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

$93.2 ALL 7,573

$308 ฿10.3K

-69.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.02 ALL 3,333

$55.8 ฿1,860

-26.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.29 ALL 2,786

$26.04 ฿869

31.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 ALL 7,411

$84.8 ฿2,829

7.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$71.0 ฿2,368

100.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 ALL 35.1K

$423 ฿14.1K

1.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 ALL 22.2K

$242 ฿8,088

12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 ALL 48.8K

$797 ฿26.6K

-24.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 ALL 35.9K

$507 ฿16.9K

-12.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,410 ALL 114.5K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-26.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,104 ALL 89.7K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-24.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ALL 53.9K

$595 ฿19.9K

11.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-20.00%

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

Last update for Korce: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $431 in Korce versus $423 in Chiang Mai. 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 11% higher in Korce, 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 $30.00 in Korce versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Korce vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Korce 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

Korce vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Korce costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,425 per month in Korce and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. 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 $93.2 per month in Korce and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Korce – 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 $950 in Korce and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $950 in Korce. 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, Korce makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.