Cost of Living Comparison Between Bega NSW and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bega NSW and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,252 per month in Bega NSW vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,273 per month in Bega NSW vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,294 per month in Bega NSW vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bega NSW costs about 162% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bega NSW sits 69% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 A$23.67

$1.96 ฿65.9

742.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 A$110

$18.35 ฿617

317.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 A$14.31

$7.48 ฿252

33.56%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.89

$2.02 ฿67.8

68.81%

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

$2.53 A$3.62

$0.85 ฿28.52

197.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 A$2.99

$0.36 ฿11.97

480.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 A$9.11

$2.14 ฿71.9

197.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 A$10.50

$3.59 ฿121

104.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.07

$1.65 ฿55.5

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 A$3.46

$1.57 ฿52.7

53.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.87

$1.19 ฿40.05

68.07%

Eggs

$4.26 A$6.10

$1.94 ฿65.1

119.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 A$12.03

$16.19 ฿545

-48.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 A$12.41

$2.99 ฿101

189.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 A$19.42

$10.94 ฿368

23.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.63

$2.71 ฿91.2

19.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$4.06

$1.17 ฿39.27

141.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.28

$1.69 ฿56.8

76.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 A$5.98

$1.60 ฿54.0

160.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.60

$1.38 ฿46.56

81.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$3.03

$1.20 ฿40.47

75.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 A$3.08

$0.67 ฿22.51

220.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 A$2.17

$0.56 ฿18.74

169.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.40 A$43.55

$4.64 ฿156

555.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.54 A$22.27

$17.62 ฿593

-11.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.45 A$6.37

$1.86 ฿62.6

139.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 A$7.55

$3.30 ฿111

59.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.75

$0.88 ฿29.70

197.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 A$92.6

$19.34 ฿651

234.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 A$5.21

$1.36 ฿45.92

167.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 A$2.21

$1.34 ฿45.00

15.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.39 A$47.83

$8.21 ฿276

306.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.68

$1.22 ฿41.20

-3.28%

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

$28.7K A$41.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

34.43%

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

$22.5K A$32.2K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-0.25%

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

$184 A$264

$70.7 ฿2,378

160.32%

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

$27.60 A$39.55

$14.04 ฿472

96.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 A$75.0

$17.49 ฿589

199.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.05 A$68.8

$42.15 ฿1,418

14.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.43 A$22.11

$6.88 ฿231

124.27%

Cinema Ticket

$12.79 A$18.33

$5.92 ฿199

116.05%

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

$1,633 A$2,340

$309 ฿10.4K

429.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$17.1K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-19.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 A$99.1

$55.8 ฿1,876

24.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 A$71.7

$26.11 ฿879

91.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 A$141

$83.0 ฿2,793

18.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$154

$70.5 ฿2,371

52.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,786

$432 ฿14.5K

188.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 A$1,505

$239 ฿8,040

339.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 A$2,875

$822 ฿27.7K

144.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 A$2,452

$512 ฿17.2K

234.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,350 A$7,665

$1,915 ฿64.4K

179.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,880 A$6,991

$1,467 ฿49.4K

232.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

26.80%

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

Last update for Bega NSW: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,247 in Bega NSW versus $432 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 $77.0 in Bega NSW versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 162%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,378 per month in Bega NSW and $1,292 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,633 per month in Bega NSW and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Bega NSW, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Bega NSW at $2,252. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bega NSW it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bega NSW makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.