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 $1,205 per month in Zabljak vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,838 per month in Zabljak vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,471 per month in Zabljak vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zabljak costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zabljak and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zabljak 13% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.17 €7.03

$2.10 ฿69.0

289.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.54 €27.98

$19.84 ฿653

64.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 €6.03

$5.79 ฿190

21.24%

Cappuccino

$1.79 €1.53

$1.83 ฿60.1

-2.19%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.78 ฿25.49

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.31 ฿10.32

383.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 €2.78

$2.34 ฿76.8

38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 €3.17

$3.70 ฿122

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.08

$2.03 ฿66.8

-37.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 €0.63

$1.60 ฿52.5

-54.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 €1.22

$1.42 ฿46.53

-0.70%

Eggs

$3.05 €2.62

$2.18 ฿71.6

39.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.67 €6.59

$15.91 ฿523

-51.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.40 €6.37

$3.07 ฿101

141.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 €10.89

$9.87 ฿324

28.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.63 ฿86.4

-47.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.54

$1.10 ฿36.02

63.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 €1.37

$1.63 ฿53.6

-1.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 €1.31

$1.53 ฿50.3

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 €0.57

$1.24 ฿40.93

-45.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 €0.59

$1.13 ฿37.19

-38.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 €0.82

$0.74 ฿24.26

28.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.50 ฿16.40

88.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 €3.59

$4.28 ฿141

-2.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 €4.11

$17.97 ฿591

-73.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.00

$1.70 ฿55.8

-31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.90 ฿95.2

-37.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.94 ฿30.97

80.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.70 €34.99

$55.3 ฿1,818

-26.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.23 ฿40.56

-4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 €0.62

$0.53 ฿17.57

37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 €15.00

$2.40 ฿78.9

627.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.44 ฿47.32

25.00%

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

$30.0K €25.8K

$21.2K ฿696.8K

41.35%

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

$26.5K €22.8K

$27.3K ฿897.8K

-2.79%

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

$118 €101

$64.9 ฿2,135

81.12%

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

$15.31 €13.16

$13.35 ฿439

14.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.44 €20.16

$20.83 ฿685

12.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.14 €40.53

$40.42 ฿1,329

16.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.24 €13.11

$3.95 ฿130

285.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 €5.45

$6.71 ฿221

-5.51%

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

$419 €360

$787 ฿25.9K

-46.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K €8,665

$15.1K ฿497.2K

-33.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.59 €20.28

$56.2 ฿1,849

-58.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.72 €24.70

$24.95 ฿820

15.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.5 €49.44

$92.7 ฿3,048

-37.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 €59.9

$75.1 ฿2,470

-7.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 €578

$484 ฿15.9K

38.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 €411

$287 ฿9,446

66.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 €1,131

$910 ฿29.9K

44.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$967 €831

$531 ฿17.4K

82.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,522 €3,028

$1,980 ฿65.1K

77.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,435 €2,093

$1,451 ฿47.7K

67.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 €726

$605 ฿19.9K

39.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

5.57

6.82%

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

Last update for Zabljak: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $672 in Zabljak 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 39% 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 $33.00 in Zabljak versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $205 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 27% 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 $1,807 per month in Zabljak 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 $419 per month in Zabljak 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 18% 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 $950, than in Zabljak at $1,205. 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 $950 versus $1,205 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.