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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $996 per month in Shkoder vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,483 per month in Shkoder vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,969 per month in Shkoder vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shkoder costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shkoder and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Shkoder 28% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.43 ALL 744

$2.10 ฿69.3

349.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 ALL 3,095

$19.84 ฿656

97.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ALL 497

$5.79 ฿191

8.81%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ALL 163

$1.83 ฿60.4

12.57%

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

$1.93 ALL 153

$0.78 ฿25.61

147.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 ALL 52.0

$0.31 ฿10.37

112.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 ALL 147

$2.34 ฿77.2

-20.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ALL 251

$3.70 ฿122

-14.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ALL 158

$2.03 ฿67.1

-1.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ALL 81.3

$1.60 ฿52.7

-35.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 ALL 166

$1.42 ฿46.75

48.59%

Eggs

$2.76 ALL 218

$2.18 ฿71.9

26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 ALL 581

$15.91 ฿526

-53.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 ALL 398

$3.07 ฿102

64.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 ALL 883

$9.87 ฿326

13.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 ALL 127

$2.63 ฿86.8

-38.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ALL 183

$1.10 ฿36.19

110.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ALL 134

$1.63 ฿53.8

3.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ALL 118

$1.53 ฿50.6

-2.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 82.1

$1.24 ฿41.13

-16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ALL 98.6

$1.13 ฿37.37

10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ALL 93.7

$0.74 ฿24.38

60.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 58.9

$0.50 ฿16.48

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ALL 342

$4.28 ฿141

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 ALL 487

$17.97 ฿594

-65.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ALL 128

$1.70 ฿56.1

-4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ALL 146

$2.90 ฿95.7

-36.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 37.75

$0.94 ฿31.13

-48.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.58 ALL 914

$55.3 ฿1,827

-79.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ALL 300

$1.23 ฿40.76

208.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.02 ALL 317

$0.53 ฿17.66

658.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.84 ALL 1,488

$2.40 ฿79.3

685.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 ALL 166

$1.44 ฿47.55

45.83%

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

$34.5K ALL 2.7M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

62.89%

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

$26.1K ALL 2.1M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-4.58%

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

$64.0 ALL 5,056

$64.9 ฿2,145

-1.42%

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

$16.77 ALL 1,324

$13.35 ฿441

25.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.80 ALL 1,406

$20.83 ฿688

-14.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.21 ALL 3,491

$40.42 ฿1,336

9.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 ALL 978

$3.95 ฿131

213.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ALL 608

$6.71 ฿222

14.61%

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

$93.4 ALL 7,379

$787 ฿26.0K

-88.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,926 ALL 152.1K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-87.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 ALL 3,977

$56.2 ฿1,858

-10.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.85 ALL 1,015

$24.95 ฿824

-48.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ALL 5,917

$92.7 ฿3,063

-19.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 ALL 11.8K

$75.1 ฿2,482

98.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ALL 38.7K

$484 ฿16.0K

1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ALL 25.6K

$287 ฿9,491

12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 ALL 30.3K

$910 ฿30.1K

-57.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ALL 28.9K

$531 ฿17.5K

-31.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,858 ALL 146.8K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-6.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,273 ALL 100.5K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-12.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ALL 46.7K

$605 ฿20.0K

-2.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-10.23%

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

Last update for Shkoder: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Shkoder 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 2% 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 $39.00 in Shkoder versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Shkoder vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Shkoder 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

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

Shkoder costs about 5% 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 $1,494 per month in Shkoder 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.

Kindergarten costs $93.4 per month in Shkoder and $787 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 15% cheaper in Shkoder – 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 Shkoder at $996. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shkoder it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $996 in Shkoder. 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, Shkoder makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.