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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $899 per month in Resen vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,345 per month in Resen vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,791 per month in Resen vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Resen costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Resen and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Resen 33% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.78 MKD 310

$1.96 ฿65.9

194.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.52 MKD 1,798

$18.35 ฿617

82.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 MKD 362

$7.48 ฿252

-9.76%

Cappuccino

$2.28 MKD 122

$2.02 ฿67.8

12.87%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$0.85 ฿28.52

138.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.0

$0.36 ฿11.97

258.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 MKD 139

$2.14 ฿71.9

21.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MKD 145

$3.59 ฿121

-24.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 71.8

$1.65 ฿55.5

-18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.58

$1.57 ฿52.7

-56.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 94.0

$1.19 ฿40.05

47.06%

Eggs

$2.04 MKD 109

$1.94 ฿65.1

5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 MKD 506

$16.19 ฿545

-41.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 MKD 383

$2.99 ฿101

138.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 MKD 719

$10.94 ฿368

22.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 54.2

$2.71 ฿91.2

-62.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.6

$1.17 ฿39.27

17.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 67.2

$1.69 ฿56.8

-26.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MKD 87.8

$1.60 ฿54.0

2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MKD 44.66

$1.38 ฿46.56

-39.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.57

$1.20 ฿40.47

-24.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.30

$0.67 ฿22.51

-13.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.96

$0.56 ฿18.74

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MKD 163

$4.64 ฿156

-34.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.45 MKD 399

$17.62 ฿593

-57.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 50.9

$1.86 ฿62.6

-48.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MKD 84.3

$3.30 ฿111

-52.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.68

$0.88 ฿29.70

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.59 MKD 1,105

$19.34 ฿651

6.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MKD 48.84

$1.36 ฿45.92

-33.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.43

$1.34 ฿45.00

-60.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 MKD 346

$8.21 ฿276

-21.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.5

$1.22 ฿41.20

21.31%

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

$32.5K MKD 1.7M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

52.25%

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

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

30.55%

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

$145 MKD 7,762

$70.7 ฿2,378

104.77%

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

$17.69 MKD 949

$14.04 ฿472

26.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.61 MKD 837

$17.49 ฿589

-10.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.59 MKD 1,426

$42.15 ฿1,418

-36.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MKD 251

$5.92 ฿199

-21.11%

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

$218 MKD 11.7K

$309 ฿10.4K

-29.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,200 MKD 64.4K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-91.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.0 MKD 4,183

$55.8 ฿1,876

39.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 MKD 2,117

$26.11 ฿879

51.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 MKD 4,015

$83.0 ฿2,793

-9.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,886

$70.5 ฿2,371

55.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 15.3K

$432 ฿14.5K

-34.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.6K

$239 ฿8,040

-17.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 MKD 30.2K

$822 ฿27.7K

-31.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 MKD 16.5K

$512 ฿17.2K

-39.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,572 MKD 84.3K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-17.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,191 MKD 63.9K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-18.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

-9.20%

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

Last update for Resen: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Resen 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Resen versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Resen vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Resen 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

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

Resen costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,349 per month in Resen 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 $218 per month in Resen and $309 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 21% cheaper in Resen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $899 in Resen and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $899 in Resen. 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, Resen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.