😐A single person spends $1,930 per month in Zlin vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,631 per month in Zlin vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,333 per month in Zlin vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Zlin costs about 104% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Zlin sits 40% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.77Kč 203
$2.08฿68.6
369.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.77Kč 764
$19.64฿646
87.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.85Kč 142
$5.65฿186
21.24%
Cappuccino
$3.31Kč 68.8
$1.81฿59.4
82.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15Kč 44.66
$0.71฿23.45
202.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68Kč 34.99
$0.32฿10.38
425.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.47Kč 51.3
$2.24฿73.6
10.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96Kč 61.6
$3.63฿119
-18.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.07Kč 22.29
$1.96฿64.4
-45.41%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25Kč 26.06
$1.50฿49.39
-16.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.34Kč 48.73
$1.34฿43.93
74.63%
Eggs
$3.67Kč 76.3
$2.26฿74.5
62.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.81Kč 287
$16.26฿535
-15.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.05Kč 209
$2.95฿97.1
240.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.91Kč 310
$9.94฿327
50.00%
Apples(1kg)
$1.74Kč 36.19
$2.57฿84.6
-32.30%
Banana(1kg)
$1.81Kč 37.66
$1.06฿34.73
70.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.22Kč 46.18
$1.61฿53.0
37.89%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.59Kč 74.6
$1.52฿49.97
136.18%
Potato(1kg)
$1.11Kč 23.11
$1.27฿41.77
-12.60%
Onion(1kg)
$0.97Kč 20.15
$1.07฿35.06
-9.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.49Kč 30.98
$0.72฿23.68
106.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68Kč 14.18
$0.51฿16.72
33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.58Kč 157
$4.19฿138
80.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.00Kč 145
$17.87฿587
-60.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.87Kč 18.16
$1.69฿55.7
-48.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03Kč 42.22
$2.84฿93.3
-28.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.91Kč 18.94
$0.93฿30.43
-2.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.13Kč 606
$53.9฿1,771
-45.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.81Kč 58.4
$1.23฿40.59
128.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.72Kč 35.84
$0.58฿18.96
196.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.31Kč 339
$2.42฿79.7
573.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.76Kč 36.59
$1.41฿46.43
24.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.9KKč 662.4K
$21.4K฿705.1K
48.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5KKč 634.4K
$27.3K฿898.7K
11.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$437Kč 9,087
$63.7฿2,093
586.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.23Kč 421
$12.85฿423
57.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.29Kč 422
$20.22฿665
0.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.4Kč 1,088
$38.74฿1,274
35.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.41Kč 258
$3.97฿130
212.59%
Cinema Ticket
$11.15Kč 232
$6.74฿222
65.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$263Kč 5,463
$778฿25.6K
-66.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,636Kč 117.1K
$14.6K฿480.4K
-61.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$116Kč 2,409
$54.3฿1,785
113.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.64Kč 741
$25.45฿837
40.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139Kč 2,886
$94.3฿3,102
47.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116Kč 2,410
$73.4฿2,415
57.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$819Kč 17.0K
$490฿16.1K
67.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$691Kč 14.4K
$289฿9,512
138.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,237Kč 25.7K
$894฿29.4K
38.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$934Kč 19.4K
$517฿17.0K
80.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,280Kč 109.7K
$1,955฿64.3K
170.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,656Kč 76.0K
$1,477฿48.6K
147.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,576Kč 32.8K
$602฿19.8K
161.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.57
-4.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Zlin: August 31, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $819 in Zlin versus $490 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 162% higher in Zlin, 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 $37.00 in Zlin versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Zlin vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Zlin or Chiang Mai?
Zlin costs about 104% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Zlin and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,895 per month in Zlin and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Zlin or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Zlin and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Zlin and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Zlin or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Zlin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Zlin or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Zlin at $1,930. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Zlin or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,930 in Zlin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Zlin compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Zlin or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.