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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,054 per month in Ljubljana vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,008 per month in Ljubljana vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,962 per month in Ljubljana vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ljubljana costs about 139% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ljubljana sits 54% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.24 €15.08

$1.96 ฿65.9

779.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.8

$18.35 ฿617

278.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 €8.27

$7.48 ฿252

26.34%

Cappuccino

$2.58 €2.25

$2.02 ฿67.8

27.72%

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

$3.04 €2.66

$0.85 ฿28.52

257.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.73

$0.36 ฿11.97

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 €3.37

$2.14 ฿71.9

79.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 €4.02

$3.59 ฿121

28.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.65 ฿55.5

-10.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.90

$1.57 ฿52.7

38.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.52

$1.19 ฿40.05

142.02%

Eggs

$3.87 €3.39

$1.94 ฿65.1

99.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 €11.70

$16.19 ฿545

-17.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.70 €9.36

$2.99 ฿101

257.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 €11.15

$10.94 ฿368

16.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$2.71 ฿91.2

-25.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.17 ฿39.27

50.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 €1.89

$1.69 ฿56.8

27.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 €3.10

$1.60 ฿54.0

121.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.20

$1.38 ฿46.56

-0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 €1.42

$1.20 ฿40.47

35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.50

$0.67 ฿22.51

155.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.86

$0.56 ฿18.74

76.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 €5.23

$4.64 ฿156

28.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.39 €7.34

$17.62 ฿593

-52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.27

$1.86 ฿62.6

-22.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.77

$3.30 ฿111

-38.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 €1.28

$0.88 ฿29.70

65.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.25 €36.97

$19.34 ฿651

118.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 €1.96

$1.36 ฿45.92

64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 €1.02

$1.34 ฿45.00

-12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.99 €17.49

$8.21 ฿276

143.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.22 ฿41.20

42.62%

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

$28.9K €25.2K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

35.12%

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

$28.9K €25.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

28.33%

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

$279 €244

$70.7 ฿2,378

294.21%

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

$18.60 €16.27

$14.04 ฿472

32.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.84 €33.11

$17.49 ฿589

116.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 €46.16

$42.15 ฿1,418

25.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.04 €15.78

$6.88 ฿231

162.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 €7.98

$5.92 ฿199

54.05%

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

$541 €473

$309 ฿10.4K

75.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K €12.4K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-4.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100.0 €87.4

$55.8 ฿1,876

79.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.21 €40.42

$26.11 ฿879

76.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$83.0 ฿2,793

25.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €121

$70.5 ฿2,371

96.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 €877

$432 ฿14.5K

131.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 €745

$239 ฿8,040

256.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 €1,811

$822 ฿27.7K

151.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 €1,285

$512 ฿17.2K

186.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,373 €5,575

$1,915 ฿64.4K

232.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,903 €4,290

$1,467 ฿49.4K

234.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,018 €1,766

$579 ฿19.5K

248.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

-23.20%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,002 in Ljubljana versus $432 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 248% higher in Ljubljana, 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 $69.0 in Ljubljana versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Ljubljana costs about 139% 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 $3,081 per month in Ljubljana and $1,292 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 $541 per month in Ljubljana and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Ljubljana, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Ljubljana at $2,054. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ljubljana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,054 in Ljubljana. 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, Ljubljana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.