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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,155 per month in Leova vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,969 per month in Leova vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,783 per month in Leova vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Leova costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Leova and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Leova 14% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 MDL 183

$1.98 ฿64.3

434.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.66 MDL 599

$18.80 ฿612

84.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 MDL 165

$7.75 ฿252

22.97%

Cappuccino

$0.87 MDL 15.01

$1.92 ฿62.5

-54.69%

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

$0.51 MDL 8.76

$0.79 ฿25.79

-35.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MDL 7.28

$0.36 ฿11.62

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 MDL 45.09

$2.21 ฿72.1

18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MDL 48.95

$3.66 ฿119

-22.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MDL 30.99

$1.65 ฿53.8

8.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 MDL 10.36

$1.63 ฿53.2

-63.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MDL 24.49

$1.19 ฿38.86

19.33%

Eggs

$1.37 MDL 23.58

$2.00 ฿65.1

-31.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 MDL 247

$15.98 ฿520

-10.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.41 MDL 41.57

$3.03 ฿98.5

-20.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.08 MDL 70.5

$10.86 ฿354

-62.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MDL 23.32

$2.76 ฿90.0

-51.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.53

$1.18 ฿38.42

-23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 MDL 16.45

$1.64 ฿53.5

-42.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MDL 20.52

$1.52 ฿49.51

-21.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 MDL 27.79

$1.38 ฿45.10

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.21

$1.19 ฿38.84

-50.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MDL 7.87

$0.70 ฿22.86

-34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MDL 18.40

$0.56 ฿18.13

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MDL 82.8

$4.58 ฿149

4.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 MDL 271

$16.56 ฿539

-5.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MDL 20.01

$1.83 ฿59.5

-36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 MDL 48.01

$3.20 ฿104

-13.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.78

$0.88 ฿28.56

-55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 MDL 517

$18.72 ฿610

60.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 MDL 49.50

$1.36 ฿44.16

111.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MDL 8.87

$1.34 ฿43.65

-61.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 MDL 58.9

$7.84 ฿256

-56.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MDL 25.67

$1.23 ฿39.92

21.14%

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

$34.4K MDL 594.8K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

59.27%

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

$35.6K MDL 614.7K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

57.88%

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

$195 MDL 3,363

$70.5 ฿2,298

176.08%

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

$5.81 MDL 100

$13.68 ฿445

-57.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.97 MDL 379

$17.45 ฿568

25.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.40 MDL 611

$41.33 ฿1,346

-14.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.48 MDL 198

$6.96 ฿227

64.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MDL 81.2

$5.77 ฿188

-18.54%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 MDL 1,525

$55.8 ฿1,817

58.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 MDL 1,008

$26.21 ฿854

122.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 MDL 1,724

$85.8 ฿2,793

16.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 MDL 2,034

$72.2 ฿2,353

63.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 MDL 14.9K

$430 ฿14.0K

101.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MDL 6,449

$239 ฿7,774

56.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 MDL 26.7K

$817 ฿26.6K

89.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 MDL 20.0K

$511 ฿16.6K

127.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,523 MDL 43.6K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

27.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 MDL 34.2K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

33.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 MDL 11.4K

$619 ฿20.2K

7.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.19

43.80%

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

Last update for Leova: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $864 in Leova versus $430 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 7% higher in Leova, 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 $35.00 in Leova versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Leova vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Leova 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

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

Leova costs about 33% 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 $1,733 per month in Leova and $1,303 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.

Public transport costs about 60% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Leova – 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 $869, than in Leova at $1,155. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leova it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,155 in Leova. 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, Leova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.