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: $892 in Bečej versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Bečej versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,819 in Bečej versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bečej costs roughly 4% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bečej 35% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.91 RSD 704

$2.08 ฿69.3

232.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 RSD 3,558

$19.61 ฿653

78.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 RSD 1,015

$5.67 ฿189

75.66%

Cappuccino

$1.18 RSD 120

$1.81 ฿60.1

-34.81%

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

$1.46 RSD 149

$0.77 ฿25.58

89.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 RSD 84.2

$0.35 ฿11.49

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 RSD 156

$2.21 ฿73.7

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RSD 205

$3.79 ฿126

-46.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 RSD 98.2

$2.05 ฿68.2

-53.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RSD 121

$1.51 ฿50.4

-21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 RSD 154

$1.40 ฿46.57

7.86%

Eggs

$2.11 RSD 215

$2.26 ฿75.2

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 RSD 934

$16.19 ฿539

-43.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.02 RSD 716

$2.90 ฿96.4

142.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 RSD 767

$9.42 ฿314

-20.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 RSD 103

$2.68 ฿89.2

-62.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 RSD 197

$1.09 ฿36.28

77.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 RSD 157

$1.62 ฿53.8

-4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 RSD 198

$1.46 ฿48.61

32.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 RSD 69.1

$1.28 ฿42.54

-46.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 RSD 34.40

$1.06 ฿35.21

-67.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RSD 68.6

$0.72 ฿23.88

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 RSD 58.2

$0.53 ฿17.51

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 RSD 395

$4.23 ฿141

-8.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.03 RSD 411

$18.29 ฿609

-77.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RSD 73.1

$1.63 ฿54.3

-55.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 RSD 104

$2.90 ฿96.6

-64.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 RSD 91.8

$0.88 ฿29.24

2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 RSD 207

$1.17 ฿39.04

73.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RSD 84.2

$0.58 ฿19.25

43.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 RSD 1,003

$2.39 ฿79.4

311.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RSD 195

$1.45 ฿48.28

32.41%

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

$32.2K RSD 3.3M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

53.27%

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

$25.7K RSD 2.6M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

-2.79%

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

$65.0 RSD 6,621

$63.7 ฿2,119

2.09%

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

$9.99 RSD 1,018

$12.89 ฿429

-22.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.48 RSD 2,393

$20.52 ฿683

14.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.28 RSD 3,085

$39.02 ฿1,299

-22.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.86 RSD 1,412

$3.92 ฿130

253.57%

Cinema Ticket

$8.79 RSD 896

$6.58 ฿219

33.59%

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

$418 RSD 42.6K

$784 ฿26.1K

-46.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K RSD 1.2M

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-19.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 RSD 11.3K

$55.1 ฿1,835

101.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.43 RSD 5,036

$24.74 ฿824

99.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 RSD 6,623

$94.1 ฿3,133

-30.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 RSD 12.3K

$74.0 ฿2,462

63.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 RSD 32.8K

$490 ฿16.3K

-34.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 RSD 27.6K

$288 ฿9,594

-6.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 RSD 46.3K

$891 ฿29.7K

-49.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 RSD 39.4K

$521 ฿17.3K

-25.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,177 RSD 221.8K

$1,974 ฿65.7K

10.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,548 RSD 157.7K

$1,444 ฿48.1K

7.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 RSD 56.1K

$602 ฿20.0K

-8.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

5.57

-16.70%

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

Last update for Bečej: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $322 in Bečej and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Bečej vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 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

Bečej is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Chiang Mai. 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: $322 in Bečej versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $892 per month in Bečej versus $932 in Chiang Mai – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Bečej versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bečej but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bečej the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bečej is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, 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 Bečej gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.