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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,054 per month in Lezhe vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,558 per month in Lezhe vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,062 per month in Lezhe vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lezhe costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lezhe and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Lezhe 21% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 ALL 428

$1.94 ฿63.5

169.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.26 ALL 2,885

$18.64 ฿609

89.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.50 ALL 286

$7.82 ฿255

-55.24%

Cappuccino

$0.96 ALL 78.5

$1.95 ฿63.8

-50.77%

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

$1.45 ALL 119

$0.85 ฿27.77

70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.6

$0.35 ฿11.58

108.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ALL 113

$2.13 ฿69.6

-35.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ALL 196

$3.73 ฿122

-35.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ALL 167

$1.71 ฿56.0

19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ALL 73.6

$1.63 ฿53.2

-44.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 ALL 157

$1.14 ฿37.15

68.42%

Eggs

$2.96 ALL 242

$1.93 ฿63.1

53.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 ALL 804

$16.21 ฿530

-39.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 ALL 652

$3.12 ฿102

155.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ALL 1,068

$10.90 ฿356

19.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ALL 150

$2.75 ฿90.0

-33.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 194

$1.21 ฿39.52

95.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ALL 142

$1.62 ฿53.0

7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 ALL 113

$1.59 ฿51.8

-13.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ALL 82.3

$1.40 ฿45.70

-27.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ALL 96.6

$1.17 ฿38.17

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ALL 93.0

$0.66 ฿21.60

72.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.9

$0.53 ฿17.22

37.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 ALL 335

$4.69 ฿153

-12.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.12 ALL 828

$18.66 ฿609

-45.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ALL 136

$1.80 ฿58.8

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ALL 149

$3.23 ฿106

-43.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.62

$0.90 ฿29.26

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.54 ALL 1,517

$19.21 ฿628

-3.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ALL 291

$1.41 ฿45.91

152.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 ALL 260

$1.29 ฿42.12

145.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.61 ALL 1,440

$7.84 ฿256

124.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 ALL 178

$1.27 ฿41.58

70.87%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

64.32%

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

$25.1K ALL 2.0M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

12.80%

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

$67.7 ALL 5,541

$69.1 ฿2,256

-1.94%

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

$17.30 ALL 1,415

$14.08 ฿460

22.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.83 ALL 1,295

$18.00 ฿588

-12.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 ALL 4,507

$41.06 ฿1,341

34.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.15 ALL 2,057

$6.96 ฿227

261.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 ALL 657

$5.92 ฿193

35.81%

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

$177 ALL 14.5K

$299 ฿9,766

-40.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.86 ALL 3,916

$54.7 ฿1,787

-12.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 ALL 4,316

$26.77 ฿874

97.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 ALL 7,734

$85.0 ฿2,776

11.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 ALL 11.7K

$70.6 ฿2,306

102.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 ALL 37.3K

$428 ฿14.0K

6.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 ALL 27.8K

$237 ฿7,752

43.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ALL 50.4K

$801 ฿26.2K

-23.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 ALL 36.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

-14.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,078 ALL 170.0K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

5.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 ALL 107.9K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-10.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$615 ALL 50.3K

$617 ฿20.2K

-0.42%

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 Lezhe: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $457 in Lezhe versus $428 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 0% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Lezhe versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Lezhe vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Lezhe 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

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

Lezhe costs about 22% 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 $1,582 per month in Lezhe and $1,300 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 $177 per month in Lezhe and $299 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 0% cheaper in Lezhe – 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 $866, than in Lezhe at $1,054. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lezhe it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,054 in Lezhe. 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, Lezhe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.