Cost of Living Comparison Between Beit Shemesh and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Beit Shemesh and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,969 per month in Beit Shemesh vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,031 per month in Beit Shemesh vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,093 per month in Beit Shemesh vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Beit Shemesh costs about 131% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Beit Shemesh sits 48% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.33 ₪65.2

$2.04 ฿68.2

945.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 ₪258

$18.71 ฿624

351.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.70 ₪44.91

$7.86 ฿262

87.02%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ₪12.27

$2.03 ฿67.7

97.54%

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

$2.87 ₪8.76

$0.80 ฿26.64

258.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₪7.20

$0.35 ฿11.68

574.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.62 ₪29.39

$2.14 ฿71.5

349.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.33 ₪25.44

$3.67 ฿122

126.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ₪6.04

$1.73 ฿57.6

14.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 ₪8.00

$1.57 ฿52.4

66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 ₪8.15

$1.20 ฿39.99

122.50%

Eggs

$4.00 ₪12.22

$1.97 ฿65.8

103.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.12 ₪52.3

$16.23 ฿541

5.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 ₪32.72

$3.06 ฿102

250.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.98 ₪61.1

$10.80 ฿360

85.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 ₪11.21

$2.77 ฿92.3

32.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 ₪6.35

$1.17 ฿38.94

77.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 ₪5.54

$1.71 ฿57.0

5.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 ₪6.99

$1.59 ฿53.2

44.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 ₪4.83

$1.39 ฿46.51

13.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 ₪5.04

$1.16 ฿38.56

42.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ₪4.71

$0.66 ฿22.05

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₪2.84

$0.52 ฿17.31

78.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.37 ₪31.70

$4.65 ฿155

123.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.40 ₪50.1

$17.78 ฿593

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₪6.68

$1.79 ฿59.6

22.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₪8.41

$3.34 ฿111

-17.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 ₪5.04

$0.91 ฿30.27

81.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.64 ₪84.5

$18.64 ฿622

48.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ₪10.33

$1.41 ฿47.04

139.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₪1.78

$1.34 ฿44.70

-56.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.85 ₪63.7

$8.11 ฿270

157.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 ₪6.05

$1.23 ฿41.16

60.98%

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

$45.4K ₪138.8K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

111.93%

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

$45.3K ₪138.4K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

107.57%

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

$213 ₪651

$71.3 ฿2,379

198.88%

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

$12.21 ₪37.30

$14.01 ฿467

-12.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.85 ₪85.1

$17.93 ฿598

55.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 ₪201

$40.82 ฿1,362

61.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 ₪56.7

$6.88 ฿230

169.77%

Cinema Ticket

$12.20 ₪37.27

$5.72 ฿191

113.29%

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

$910 ₪2,781

$308 ฿10.3K

195.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ₪51.5K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

14.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 ₪229

$55.8 ฿1,860

34.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 ₪179

$26.04 ฿869

124.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ₪295

$84.8 ฿2,829

13.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₪309

$71.0 ฿2,368

42.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 ₪2,531

$423 ฿14.1K

95.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ₪2,110

$242 ฿8,088

184.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 ₪4,512

$797 ฿26.6K

85.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 ₪4,103

$507 ฿16.9K

164.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₪33.1K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

464.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,186 ₪22.0K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

390.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.75

-45.00%

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

Last update for Beit Shemesh: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $828 in Beit Shemesh versus $423 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 $85.0 in Beit Shemesh versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $244 – 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

Beit Shemesh vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beit Shemesh is pricier by about 131%, 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 $2,954 per month in Beit Shemesh and $1,279 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.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Beit Shemesh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Beit Shemesh and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Beit Shemesh at $1,969. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beit Shemesh 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, Beit Shemesh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.