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 $922 per month in Shkoder vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,353 per month in Shkoder vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,784 per month in Shkoder vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shkoder costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shkoder and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Shkoder 31% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.04 ALL 496

$1.94 ฿63.6

211.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.04 ALL 2,627

$18.64 ฿609

71.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 ALL 378

$7.82 ฿256

-41.05%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ALL 147

$1.95 ฿63.9

-8.21%

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

$1.57 ALL 129

$0.85 ฿27.80

84.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 65.7

$0.35 ฿11.60

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ALL 199

$2.13 ฿69.7

14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ALL 260

$3.73 ฿122

-14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 169

$1.71 ฿56.0

20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ALL 75.9

$1.63 ฿53.3

-42.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ALL 165

$1.14 ฿37.18

76.32%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 239

$1.93 ฿63.2

50.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ALL 563

$16.21 ฿530

-57.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 ALL 401

$3.12 ฿102

56.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ALL 849

$10.90 ฿356

-5.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ALL 125

$2.75 ฿90.1

-44.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 ALL 192

$1.21 ฿39.56

93.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ALL 136

$1.62 ฿53.0

2.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ALL 110

$1.59 ฿51.9

-15.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ALL 80.7

$1.40 ฿45.75

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ALL 95.8

$1.17 ฿38.20

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ALL 89.6

$0.66 ฿21.62

65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ALL 56.9

$0.53 ฿17.24

30.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ALL 338

$4.69 ฿153

-11.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 ALL 510

$18.66 ฿610

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ALL 120

$1.80 ฿58.8

-18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ALL 137

$3.23 ฿106

-48.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.87

$0.90 ฿29.28

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 ALL 952

$19.21 ฿628

-39.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 295

$1.41 ฿45.96

155.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 ALL 252

$1.29 ฿42.16

137.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.92 ALL 1,470

$7.84 ฿256

128.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 ALL 180

$1.27 ฿41.62

72.44%

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

$34.6K ALL 2.8M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

62.60%

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

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

11.98%

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

$67.9 ALL 5,570

$69.1 ฿2,258

-1.65%

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

$16.90 ALL 1,386

$14.08 ฿460

20.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.11 ALL 1,321

$18.00 ฿588

-10.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 ALL 3,321

$41.06 ฿1,342

-1.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ALL 958

$6.96 ฿227

67.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ALL 590

$5.92 ฿193

21.62%

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

$89.0 ALL 7,296

$299 ฿9,775

-70.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,796 ALL 147.3K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-87.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.65 ALL 3,907

$54.7 ฿1,788

-12.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.91 ALL 977

$26.77 ฿875

-55.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ALL 5,901

$85.0 ฿2,778

-15.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$70.6 ฿2,308

100.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ALL 25.4K

$428 ฿14.0K

-27.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ALL 24.6K

$237 ฿7,759

26.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ALL 28.9K

$801 ฿26.2K

-55.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ALL 28.4K

$515 ฿16.9K

-32.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,819 ALL 149.1K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-7.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,231 ALL 101.0K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-16.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$571 ALL 46.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

-7.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Shkoder: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Shkoder 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 8% 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 $32.00 in Shkoder versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Shkoder vs $246 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 6% 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 $1,383 per month in Shkoder 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 $89.0 per month in Shkoder 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 22% cheaper in Shkoder – 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 $922 in Shkoder and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $922 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.