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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,538 per month in Kotor vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,448 per month in Kotor vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,359 per month in Kotor vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kotor costs about 80% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kotor sits 15% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.26 €13.91

$1.96 ฿64.0

729.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 €50.5

$18.81 ฿615

213.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 €7.95

$7.92 ฿259

17.30%

Cappuccino

$2.63 €2.25

$1.91 ฿62.6

37.70%

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

$2.27 €1.94

$0.84 ฿27.41

170.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.35 ฿11.51

320.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 €2.46

$2.21 ฿72.1

30.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 €3.26

$3.80 ฿124

0.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.64 ฿53.5

-14.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 €0.85

$1.62 ฿53.1

-38.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 €2.04

$1.18 ฿38.62

101.69%

Eggs

$3.13 €2.68

$2.01 ฿65.8

55.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 €7.55

$15.89 ฿520

-44.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.11 €6.94

$3.01 ฿98.5

169.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 €10.16

$10.77 ฿352

10.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 €1.06

$2.61 ฿85.5

-52.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$1.22 ฿39.88

43.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.70 ฿55.7

-6.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$1.58 ฿51.5

60.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.32 ฿43.14

-23.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.17 ฿38.23

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.47

$0.67 ฿21.98

156.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.56 ฿18.32

44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 €3.56

$4.53 ฿148

-8.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 €5.47

$18.20 ฿595

-64.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.10

$1.83 ฿60.0

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.61

$3.23 ฿106

-41.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 €1.28

$0.89 ฿29.00

67.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.48 €32.09

$19.38 ฿634

93.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 €0.57

$1.35 ฿44.20

-50.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.35 ฿44.05

-21.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.76 €10.07

$8.25 ฿270

42.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.27 ฿41.64

36.22%

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

$29.3K €25.1K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

38.56%

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

$26.4K €22.6K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

17.41%

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

$126 €108

$70.2 ฿2,294

79.69%

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

$18.67 €15.98

$13.77 ฿450

35.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.76 €27.19

$17.60 ฿575

80.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.20 €37.83

$41.57 ฿1,360

6.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.39 €12.32

$6.60 ฿216

118.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 €4.99

$5.78 ฿189

0.87%

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

$289 €248

$306 ฿10.0K

-5.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,608 €6,513

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-48.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 €72.0

$54.4 ฿1,778

54.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.55 €38.13

$26.14 ฿855

70.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 €81.3

$84.5 ฿2,764

12.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €96.4

$69.4 ฿2,270

62.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 €604

$424 ฿13.9K

66.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 €576

$238 ฿7,788

182.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 €1,068

$825 ฿27.0K

51.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 €1,152

$515 ฿16.8K

161.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,039 €3,458

$2,049 ฿67.0K

97.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,935 €2,512

$1,523 ฿49.8K

92.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$988 €845

$635 ฿20.8K

55.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

18.60%

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

Last update for Kotor: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Kotor versus $424 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 55% higher in Kotor, 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 $59.0 in Kotor versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Kotor vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Kotor 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

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

Kotor costs about 80% 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 $2,307 per month in Kotor and $1,278 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 $289 per month in Kotor and $306 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 6% cheaper in Kotor – 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 $852, than in Kotor at $1,538. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kotor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,538 in Kotor. 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, Kotor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.