😐A single person spends $1,587 per month in Zlin vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,218 per month in Zlin vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,849 per month in Zlin vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Zlin costs about 84% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Zlin sits 19% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.13Kč 194
$1.96฿65.8
365.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.06Kč 785
$18.35฿617
101.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.25Kč 132
$7.48฿252
-16.44%
Cappuccino
$2.89Kč 61.3
$2.02฿67.8
43.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86Kč 39.41
$0.85฿28.50
118.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43Kč 30.32
$0.36฿11.96
297.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.26Kč 47.96
$2.14฿71.8
5.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86Kč 60.5
$3.59฿121
-20.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06Kč 22.52
$1.65฿55.5
-35.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.29Kč 27.37
$1.57฿52.7
-17.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.38Kč 50.5
$1.19฿40.02
100.00%
Eggs
$3.50Kč 74.1
$1.94฿65.1
80.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.86Kč 273
$16.19฿544
-20.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.49Kč 201
$2.99฿101
217.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.88Kč 273
$10.94฿368
17.73%
Apples(1kg)
$1.82Kč 38.56
$2.71฿91.2
-32.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.52Kč 32.19
$1.17฿39.25
29.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.23Kč 47.32
$1.69฿56.7
31.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.21Kč 68.0
$1.60฿54.0
100.62%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13Kč 23.95
$1.38฿46.54
-18.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.02Kč 21.59
$1.20฿40.45
-15.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.48Kč 31.41
$0.67฿22.50
120.90%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66Kč 13.93
$0.56฿18.73
17.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.66Kč 162
$4.64฿156
65.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.51Kč 138
$17.62฿593
-63.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78Kč 16.54
$1.86฿62.5
-58.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16Kč 45.79
$3.30฿111
-34.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.19Kč 25.12
$0.88฿29.68
35.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$27.61Kč 585
$19.34฿650
42.76%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.32Kč 49.12
$1.36฿45.90
70.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.06Kč 22.43
$1.34฿44.98
-20.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.26Kč 302
$8.21฿276
73.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.74Kč 36.82
$1.22฿41.18
42.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3KKč 494.8K
$21.4K฿718.1K
9.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7KKč 543.5K
$22.5K฿757.7K
13.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$308Kč 6,526
$70.7฿2,376
335.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.41Kč 560
$14.04฿472
88.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.61Kč 416
$17.49฿588
12.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.87Kč 972
$42.15฿1,417
8.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.40Kč 199
$6.88฿231
36.63%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84Kč 208
$5.92฿199
66.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$899Kč 19.0K
$309฿10.4K
191.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.4KKč 306.0K
$14.9K฿500.4K
-2.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.1Kč 1,761
$55.8฿1,875
49.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.32Kč 727
$26.11฿878
31.44%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.3Kč 2,083
$83.0฿2,792
18.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126Kč 2,661
$70.5฿2,369
78.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$702Kč 14.9K
$432฿14.5K
62.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$580Kč 12.3K
$239฿8,035
142.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,169Kč 24.8K
$822฿27.7K
42.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$835Kč 17.7K
$512฿17.2K
63.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,073Kč 107.5K
$1,915฿64.4K
164.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,541Kč 75.0K
$1,467฿49.3K
141.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zlin
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,519Kč 32.2K
$579฿19.5K
162.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.84
5
-3.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Zlin: July 11, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $702 in Zlin versus $432 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $243 – 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 84% 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 $2,380 per month in Zlin and $1,292 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 $899 per month in Zlin and $309 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 5% 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 $861, than in Zlin at $1,587. 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 $861 versus $1,587 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.