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: $927 in Bečej versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,394 in Bečej versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,861 in Bečej versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bečej is roughly 7% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bečej 31% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 RSD 712

$1.98 ฿64.3

255.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.45 RSD 3,484

$18.80 ฿612

83.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.67 RSD 978

$7.75 ฿252

24.77%

Cappuccino

$1.21 RSD 122

$1.92 ฿62.5

-36.98%

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

$1.45 RSD 146

$0.79 ฿25.79

83.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 RSD 82.9

$0.36 ฿11.62

127.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 RSD 153

$2.21 ฿72.1

-31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 RSD 197

$3.66 ฿119

-46.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 RSD 95.4

$1.65 ฿53.8

-43.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 RSD 94.2

$1.63 ฿53.2

-42.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 RSD 154

$1.19 ฿38.86

27.73%

Eggs

$2.15 RSD 218

$2.00 ฿65.1

7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RSD 960

$15.98 ฿520

-40.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.11 RSD 719

$3.03 ฿98.5

134.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 RSD 761

$10.86 ฿354

-30.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RSD 104

$2.76 ฿90.0

-63.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 RSD 189

$1.18 ฿38.42

58.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 RSD 156

$1.64 ฿53.5

-6.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 RSD 202

$1.52 ฿49.51

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 RSD 71.9

$1.38 ฿45.10

-48.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 RSD 36.70

$1.19 ฿38.84

-69.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 RSD 67.2

$0.70 ฿22.86

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 RSD 62.1

$0.56 ฿18.13

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 RSD 408

$4.58 ฿149

-12.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.98 RSD 403

$16.56 ฿539

-75.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RSD 71.4

$1.83 ฿59.5

-61.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 RSD 102

$3.20 ฿104

-68.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 RSD 94.0

$0.88 ฿28.56

5.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.49 RSD 2,780

$18.72 ฿610

46.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 RSD 194

$1.36 ฿44.16

40.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RSD 70.2

$1.34 ฿43.65

-48.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.94 RSD 1,005

$7.84 ฿256

26.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 RSD 191

$1.23 ฿39.92

53.66%

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

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

41.48%

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

$27.2K RSD 2.7M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

20.52%

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

$63.3 RSD 6,403

$70.5 ฿2,298

-10.25%

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

$10.16 RSD 1,028

$13.68 ฿445

-25.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.05 RSD 2,432

$17.45 ฿568

37.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.68 RSD 3,103

$41.33 ฿1,346

-25.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.77 RSD 1,696

$6.96 ฿227

140.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 RSD 808

$5.77 ฿188

38.47%

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

$457 RSD 46.2K

$307 ฿10.0K

48.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,019 RSD 507.6K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-65.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.3 RSD 10.0K

$55.8 ฿1,817

77.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.68 RSD 4,215

$26.21 ฿854

59.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 RSD 6,519

$85.8 ฿2,793

-24.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 RSD 11.8K

$72.2 ฿2,353

61.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 RSD 37.6K

$430 ฿14.0K

-13.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 RSD 30.5K

$239 ฿7,774

26.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 RSD 57.4K

$817 ฿26.6K

-30.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 RSD 41.3K

$511 ฿16.6K

-20.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,138 RSD 216.2K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

7.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,428 RSD 144.5K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-3.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 RSD 54.7K

$619 ฿20.2K

-12.52%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $372 in Bečej and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Bečej vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $241, 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 14% 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: $372 in Bečej versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $927 per month in Bečej versus $869 in Chiang Mai – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 47% less than in Bečej. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $927 in Bečej, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bečej. 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 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 7% less than in Bečej. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.