Cost of Living Comparison Between Bat Yam and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bat Yam and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,187 in Bat Yam versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,259 in Bat Yam versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,332 in Bat Yam versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bat Yam is roughly 152% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bat Yam is 63% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.59 ₪44.77

$1.94 ฿63.6

703.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 ₪241

$18.64 ฿609

350.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.04 ₪48.93

$7.82 ฿256

117.90%

Cappuccino

$3.78 ₪10.86

$1.95 ฿63.9

93.85%

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

$2.44 ₪7.00

$0.85 ฿27.80

187.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₪4.16

$0.35 ฿11.60

314.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 ₪16.01

$2.13 ฿69.7

161.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 ₪12.04

$3.73 ฿122

12.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₪6.21

$1.71 ฿56.0

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 ₪10.82

$1.63 ฿53.3

131.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 ₪8.33

$1.14 ฿37.18

154.39%

Eggs

$4.11 ₪11.80

$1.93 ฿63.2

112.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 ₪40.68

$16.21 ฿530

-12.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 ₪31.96

$3.12 ฿102

256.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 ₪45.57

$10.90 ฿356

45.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 ₪9.06

$2.75 ฿90.1

14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₪5.51

$1.21 ฿39.56

58.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ₪5.49

$1.62 ฿53.0

17.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 ₪6.78

$1.59 ฿51.9

48.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ₪3.95

$1.40 ฿45.75

-1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ₪4.08

$1.17 ฿38.20

21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 ₪6.60

$0.66 ฿21.62

248.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₪3.40

$0.53 ฿17.24

124.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.48 ₪32.95

$4.69 ฿153

144.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.48 ₪47.32

$18.66 ฿610

-11.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₪7.85

$1.80 ฿58.8

51.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 ₪11.03

$3.23 ฿106

18.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 ₪6.53

$0.90 ฿29.28

153.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 ₪213

$19.21 ฿628

285.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 ₪12.03

$1.41 ฿45.96

197.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ₪2.51

$1.29 ฿42.16

-32.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 ₪69.3

$7.84 ฿256

207.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 ₪5.96

$1.27 ฿41.62

63.78%

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

$40.2K ₪115.4K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

88.92%

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

$42.7K ₪122.5K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

92.08%

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

$195 ₪560

$69.1 ฿2,258

182.38%

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

$11.79 ₪33.86

$14.08 ฿460

-16.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.65 ₪82.3

$18.00 ฿588

59.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 ₪137

$41.06 ฿1,342

16.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.67 ₪33.52

$6.96 ฿227

67.67%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ₪35.74

$5.92 ฿193

110.30%

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

$981 ₪2,816

$299 ฿9,775

228.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,696 ₪25.0K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-41.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.0 ₪270

$54.7 ฿1,788

71.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 ₪146

$26.77 ฿875

89.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₪341

$85.0 ฿2,778

39.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₪377

$70.6 ฿2,308

86.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 ₪3,248

$428 ฿14.0K

164.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 ₪2,874

$237 ฿7,759

321.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 ₪4,449

$801 ฿26.2K

93.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 ₪4,577

$515 ฿16.9K

209.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K ₪30.9K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

444.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,144 ₪20.5K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

384.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Bat Yam: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,131 in Bat Yam and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $84.0 in Bat Yam vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

Bat Yam vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 152% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,281 in Bat Yam and $1,300 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,131 in Bat Yam versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $84.0 in Bat Yam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,187 per month in Bat Yam versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,187 in Bat Yam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bat Yam. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bat Yam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bat Yam and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Bat Yam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.