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 $1,393 per month in Leova vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,132 per month in Leova vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,871 per month in Leova vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Leova costs about 47% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Leova sits 1% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.58 MDL 182

$2.10 ฿69.3

403.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.32 MDL 606

$19.84 ฿656

78.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.62 MDL 165

$5.79 ฿191

66.15%

Cappuccino

$0.90 MDL 15.39

$1.83 ฿60.4

-50.82%

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

$0.55 MDL 9.51

$0.78 ฿25.61

-29.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MDL 7.22

$0.31 ฿10.37

35.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 MDL 46.13

$2.34 ฿77.2

14.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MDL 47.27

$3.70 ฿122

-25.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MDL 29.32

$2.03 ฿67.1

-15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 MDL 26.74

$1.60 ฿52.7

-2.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 MDL 24.24

$1.42 ฿46.75

-0.70%

Eggs

$1.38 MDL 23.70

$2.18 ฿71.9

-36.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 MDL 249

$15.91 ฿526

-8.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.28 MDL 39.11

$3.07 ฿102

-25.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.29 MDL 73.6

$9.87 ฿326

-56.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 MDL 23.94

$2.63 ฿86.8

-46.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.37

$1.10 ฿36.19

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 MDL 17.70

$1.63 ฿53.8

-36.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 MDL 19.82

$1.53 ฿50.6

-24.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 MDL 26.70

$1.24 ฿41.13

25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.18

$1.13 ฿37.37

-47.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MDL 7.66

$0.74 ฿24.38

-39.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MDL 18.20

$0.50 ฿16.48

112.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.81 MDL 82.5

$4.28 ฿141

12.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 MDL 268

$17.97 ฿594

-13.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MDL 20.27

$1.70 ฿56.1

-30.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MDL 46.33

$2.90 ฿95.7

-6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 MDL 6.85

$0.94 ฿31.13

-57.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.90 MDL 513

$55.3 ฿1,827

-45.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 MDL 51.1

$1.23 ฿40.76

142.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MDL 9.59

$0.53 ฿17.66

5.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 MDL 60.7

$2.40 ฿79.3

47.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.61

$1.44 ฿47.55

-0.69%

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

$35.1K MDL 602.3K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

65.61%

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

$36.4K MDL 624.1K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

33.19%

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

$199 MDL 3,418

$64.9 ฿2,145

206.73%

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

$5.90 MDL 101

$13.35 ฿441

-55.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 MDL 376

$20.83 ฿688

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.1 MDL 1,528

$40.42 ฿1,336

120.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 MDL 204

$3.95 ฿131

201.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MDL 81.8

$6.71 ฿222

-28.91%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 MDL 1,524

$56.2 ฿1,858

57.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MDL 978

$24.95 ฿824

128.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 MDL 1,710

$92.7 ฿3,063

7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,971

$75.1 ฿2,482

52.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MDL 11.2K

$484 ฿16.0K

34.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 MDL 9,441

$287 ฿9,491

91.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 MDL 26.8K

$910 ฿30.1K

71.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MDL 19.7K

$531 ฿17.5K

116.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,564 MDL 44.0K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

29.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,015 MDL 34.6K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

38.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$661 MDL 11.3K

$605 ฿20.0K

9.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.19

5.57

29.08%

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

Last update for Leova: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $650 in Leova versus $484 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 9% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Leova vs $242 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 47% 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 $2,090 per month in Leova and $1,426 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 85% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% 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 $950, than in Leova at $1,393. 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 $950 versus $1,393 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.