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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $929 in Bečej versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,382 in Bečej versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,834 in Bečej versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bečej is roughly 9% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bečej 31% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.87 RSD 689

$1.96 ฿64.0

250.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 RSD 3,518

$18.81 ฿615

86.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 RSD 984

$7.92 ฿259

23.86%

Cappuccino

$1.17 RSD 117

$1.91 ฿62.6

-38.74%

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

$1.45 RSD 145

$0.84 ฿27.41

72.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 RSD 82.8

$0.35 ฿11.51

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 RSD 152

$2.21 ฿72.1

-31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RSD 193

$3.80 ฿124

-49.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 RSD 101

$1.64 ฿53.5

-38.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 RSD 87.8

$1.62 ฿53.1

-45.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 RSD 146

$1.18 ฿38.62

23.73%

Eggs

$2.18 RSD 218

$2.01 ฿65.8

8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 RSD 917

$15.89 ฿520

-42.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.10 RSD 712

$3.01 ฿98.5

135.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 RSD 749

$10.77 ฿352

-30.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RSD 102

$2.61 ฿85.5

-60.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 RSD 196

$1.22 ฿39.88

59.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RSD 157

$1.70 ฿55.7

-7.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RSD 193

$1.58 ฿51.5

22.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 RSD 66.5

$1.32 ฿43.14

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 RSD 36.26

$1.17 ฿38.23

-69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 RSD 66.6

$0.67 ฿21.98

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 RSD 56.2

$0.56 ฿18.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 RSD 407

$4.53 ฿148

-10.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.05 RSD 406

$18.20 ฿595

-77.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RSD 71.5

$1.83 ฿60.0

-61.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 RSD 95.7

$3.23 ฿106

-70.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 RSD 94.0

$0.89 ฿29.00

5.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.25 RSD 2,835

$19.38 ฿634

45.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 RSD 202

$1.35 ฿44.20

48.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RSD 74.6

$1.35 ฿44.05

-45.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.79 RSD 982

$8.25 ฿270

18.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 RSD 181

$1.27 ฿41.64

41.73%

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

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

46.50%

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

$26.5K RSD 2.7M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

17.63%

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

$64.3 RSD 6,446

$70.2 ฿2,294

-8.41%

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

$9.80 RSD 983

$13.77 ฿450

-28.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.80 RSD 2,388

$17.60 ฿575

35.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.98 RSD 3,109

$41.57 ฿1,360

-25.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.65 RSD 1,670

$6.60 ฿216

152.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 RSD 785

$5.78 ฿189

35.29%

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

$446 RSD 44.8K

$306 ฿10.0K

45.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,096 RSD 511.3K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-65.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 RSD 10.2K

$54.4 ฿1,778

87.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.70 RSD 4,284

$26.14 ฿855

63.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 RSD 6,521

$84.5 ฿2,764

-23.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 RSD 11.8K

$69.4 ฿2,270

69.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 RSD 37.7K

$424 ฿13.9K

-11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 RSD 30.0K

$238 ฿7,788

25.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 RSD 57.0K

$825 ฿27.0K

-31.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 RSD 41.3K

$515 ฿16.8K

-20.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,222 RSD 222.9K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

8.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,387 RSD 139.2K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-8.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 RSD 54.2K

$635 ฿20.8K

-15.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

11.80%

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

Last update for Bečej: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Bečej and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Bečej vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $177 vs $243, with Bečej cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 18% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $376 in Bečej versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $929 per month in Bečej versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 46% less than in Bečej. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Bečej 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 9% less than in Bečej. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.