Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bega NSW and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $2,529 in Bega NSW, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Bega NSW
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Bega NSW Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Bega NSW

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,529

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bega NSW and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bega NSW and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,529 per month in Bega NSW vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bega NSW $2,529
Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $3,815 per month in Bega NSW vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bega NSW $3,815
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $5,101 per month in Bega NSW vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bega NSW $5,101
Chiang Mai $1,979

Bega NSW costs about 170% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bega NSW sits 86% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.70 A$25.28

$2.13 ฿71.9

730.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 A$120

$18.62 ฿628

353.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 A$14.85

$5.60 ฿189

85.71%

Cappuccino

$4.11 A$5.87

$1.66 ฿56.0

147.59%

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

$2.90 A$4.14

$0.65 ฿21.80

346.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 A$3.20

$0.30 ฿10.28

646.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 A$11.26

$2.32 ฿78.3

239.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.74 A$11.06

$3.67 ฿124

110.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 A$2.16

$2.02 ฿67.9

-25.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 A$3.89

$1.41 ฿47.45

92.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.28

$1.39 ฿46.90

65.47%

Eggs

$4.83 A$6.90

$2.37 ฿79.8

103.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 A$12.93

$16.52 ฿557

-45.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.95

$2.67 ฿90.0

239.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 A$20.71

$9.02 ฿304

60.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 A$5.36

$2.40 ฿80.8

56.25%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 A$4.41

$1.04 ฿35.09

197.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.52

$1.66 ฿55.9

90.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 A$6.57

$1.56 ฿52.5

194.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.93

$1.24 ฿41.71

121.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 A$3.55

$1.09 ฿36.62

127.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 A$3.44

$0.76 ฿25.67

217.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 A$2.22

$0.51 ฿17.33

205.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$41.98 A$60.0

$4.12 ฿139

918.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 A$19.96

$17.93 ฿604

-22.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.67

$1.62 ฿54.7

188.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 A$7.51

$2.82 ฿95.1

86.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 A$3.86

$0.93 ฿31.49

191.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 A$120

$52.9 ฿1,782

58.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.95

$1.18 ฿39.65

194.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 A$2.32

$0.17 ฿5.78

858.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.93 A$58.5

$1.81 ฿61.1

2161.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 A$1.88

$1.47 ฿49.63

-10.20%

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

$29.4K A$42.1K

$21.0K ฿708.1K

40.15%

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

$26.4K A$37.7K

$26.5K ฿893.6K

-0.46%

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

$212 A$303

$62.6 ฿2,108

238.84%

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

$27.96 A$39.93

$11.60 ฿391

141.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$81.6

$20.30 ฿684

181.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 A$81.3

$37.88 ฿1,277

50.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.93 A$25.61

$3.70 ฿125

384.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.27 A$20.38

$6.51 ฿219

119.20%

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

$2,136 A$3,050

$727 ฿24.5K

193.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K A$29.1K

$16.6K ฿558.5K

22.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 A$108

$53.5 ฿1,804

41.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 A$77.7

$24.80 ฿836

119.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$154

$90.4 ฿3,046

19.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 A$173

$72.0 ฿2,425

68.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,042

$481 ฿16.2K

197.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 A$1,739

$310 ฿10.4K

292.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,250 A$3,213

$1,058 ฿35.7K

112.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 A$2,614

$659 ฿22.2K

177.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,831 A$8,327

$2,418 ฿81.5K

141.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,961 A$7,084

$1,609 ฿54.2K

208.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.57

5.92%

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

Last update for Bega NSW: November 3, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bega NSW

$1.2K 48.1%

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1% 74.5% $907

Groceries & Markets

Bega NSW

$363 14.4%

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3% 34.8% $127

Eating Out

Bega NSW

$298 11.8%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2% 74.3% $221

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bega NSW

$297 11.8%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 68.2% $203

Clothing & Footwear

Bega NSW

$162 6.4%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6% 33% $53

Getting Around

Bega NSW

$106 4.2%

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3% 44.9% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Bega NSW

$86 3.4%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4% 40.5% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,255 in Bega NSW versus $482 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88 in Bega NSW versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Bega NSW

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

22:18 10:18 PM

18:18 6:18 PM

4 h behind Bega NSW

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,683

127,240

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.7 USD

1 AUD = 0.625 EUR

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bega NSW Chiang Mai 8,150 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Bega NSW
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Bega NSW vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bega NSW is pricier by about 170%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,793 per month in Bega NSW and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,255 in Bega NSW.

Kindergarten costs $2,121 per month in Bega NSW and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Bega NSW, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,529 in Bega NSW and $935 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 63% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.