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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,224 per month in Zabljak vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,851 per month in Zabljak vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,478 per month in Zabljak vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zabljak costs about 44% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zabljak and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zabljak 8% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.94 €6.98

$2.03 ฿68.4

291.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.23 €28.34

$18.71 ฿630

72.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 €5.93

$7.84 ฿264

-13.90%

Cappuccino

$1.77 €1.56

$1.93 ฿64.9

-8.29%

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

$2.20 €1.93

$0.83 ฿28.00

165.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.25

$0.35 ฿11.80

305.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 €2.76

$2.22 ฿74.8

41.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 €3.21

$3.79 ฿128

-3.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.23

$1.65 ฿55.4

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 €0.60

$1.55 ฿52.3

-56.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 €1.20

$1.18 ฿39.79

16.10%

Eggs

$3.26 €2.87

$2.01 ฿67.9

62.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 €6.45

$16.16 ฿544

-54.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 €6.79

$3.03 ฿102

154.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 €10.50

$10.84 ฿365

10.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 €1.09

$2.68 ฿90.3

-53.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.22 ฿41.14

46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.63 ฿54.8

3.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 €1.36

$1.53 ฿51.5

0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 €0.59

$1.34 ฿45.10

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 €0.62

$1.21 ฿40.86

-41.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.70 ฿23.63

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.05

$0.53 ฿17.70

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 €3.61

$4.69 ฿158

-12.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.65 €4.09

$17.71 ฿597

-73.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.85 ฿62.2

-33.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.59

$3.21 ฿108

-43.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 €1.24

$0.89 ฿30.01

58.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.36 €33.72

$18.76 ฿632

104.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.41 ฿47.40

-19.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 €0.56

$1.29 ฿43.52

-50.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.70 €15.56

$7.79 ฿262

127.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.58

$1.29 ฿43.59

38.76%

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

$29.8K €26.2K

$21.8K ฿733.4K

36.75%

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

$26.5K €23.3K

$21.7K ฿730.7K

22.35%

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

$115 €101

$70.0 ฿2,358

64.78%

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

$18.73 €16.46

$14.19 ฿478

31.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.53 €20.68

$17.42 ฿587

35.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.01 €39.57

$41.64 ฿1,403

8.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 €12.67

$6.89 ฿232

109.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 €5.10

$5.78 ฿195

0.35%

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

$412 €362

$300 ฿10.1K

37.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K €8,805

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-31.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.34 €20.52

$55.4 ฿1,865

-57.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 €25.22

$26.31 ฿886

9.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.5 €50.6

$84.8 ฿2,858

-32.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.3 €61.8

$70.5 ฿2,375

-0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 €631

$425 ฿14.3K

68.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 €469

$235 ฿7,919

127.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 €1,101

$802 ฿27.0K

56.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 €799

$516 ฿17.4K

76.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 €3,273

$1,926 ฿64.9K

93.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,487 €2,186

$1,451 ฿48.9K

71.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$819 €720

$586 ฿19.8K

39.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

18.60%

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

Last update for Zabljak: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $718 in Zabljak versus $425 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 40% higher in Zabljak, 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 $32.00 in Zabljak versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Zabljak vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Zabljak 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

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

Zabljak costs about 44% 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 $1,837 per month in Zabljak and $1,271 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 $412 per month in Zabljak and $300 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 17% cheaper in Zabljak – 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 $847, than in Zabljak at $1,224. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zabljak it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,224 in Zabljak. 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, Zabljak makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.