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 $1,987 per month in Beit Shemesh vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,057 per month in Beit Shemesh vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,127 per month in Beit Shemesh vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Beit Shemesh costs about 129% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Beit Shemesh sits 48% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.92 ₪61.0

$1.98 ฿64.3

956.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 ₪247

$18.80 ฿612

350.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.65 ₪42.73

$7.75 ฿252

89.03%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ₪11.73

$1.92 ฿62.5

109.37%

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

$2.99 ₪8.72

$0.79 ฿25.79

278.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₪6.72

$0.36 ฿11.62

538.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.50 ₪27.70

$2.21 ฿72.1

329.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.63 ₪25.17

$3.66 ฿119

135.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ₪5.77

$1.65 ฿53.8

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ₪7.38

$1.63 ฿53.2

55.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 ₪7.95

$1.19 ฿38.86

129.41%

Eggs

$4.14 ₪12.08

$2.00 ฿65.1

107.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.58 ₪48.35

$15.98 ฿520

3.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.66 ₪31.08

$3.03 ฿98.5

251.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.94 ₪58.1

$10.86 ฿354

83.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 ₪10.54

$2.76 ฿90.0

31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 ₪5.89

$1.18 ฿38.42

71.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₪5.52

$1.64 ฿53.5

15.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₪6.66

$1.52 ฿49.51

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 ₪4.57

$1.38 ฿45.10

13.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 ₪4.81

$1.19 ฿38.84

38.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ₪4.75

$0.70 ฿22.86

132.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₪2.72

$0.56 ฿18.13

66.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.40 ₪30.32

$4.58 ฿149

127.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.89 ₪49.24

$16.56 ฿539

1.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₪6.33

$1.83 ฿59.5

18.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₪8.02

$3.20 ฿104

-14.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 ₪5.07

$0.88 ฿28.56

97.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.19 ₪82.2

$18.72 ฿610

50.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ₪10.32

$1.36 ฿44.16

160.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ₪1.60

$1.34 ฿43.65

-58.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.13 ₪61.6

$7.84 ฿256

169.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 ₪6.01

$1.23 ฿39.92

67.48%

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

$45.0K ₪131.1K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

107.94%

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

$45.7K ₪133.2K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

102.59%

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

$208 ₪606

$70.5 ฿2,298

194.47%

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

$12.13 ₪35.36

$13.68 ฿445

-11.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.81 ₪81.1

$17.45 ฿568

59.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 ₪192

$41.33 ฿1,346

59.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 ₪53.9

$6.96 ฿227

165.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.34 ₪35.98

$5.77 ฿188

113.86%

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

$929 ₪2,708

$307 ฿10.0K

202.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ₪48.5K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

13.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.0 ₪222

$55.8 ฿1,817

36.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 ₪170

$26.21 ฿854

122.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 ₪282

$85.8 ฿2,793

12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₪302

$72.2 ฿2,353

43.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 ₪2,419

$430 ฿14.0K

93.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 ₪2,046

$239 ฿7,774

193.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 ₪4,231

$817 ฿26.6K

77.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 ₪3,971

$511 ฿16.6K

166.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,570 ₪27.9K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

382.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,493 ₪18.9K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

337.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Beit Shemesh versus $430 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: $360 vs $241 – 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 129%, 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 $2,980 per month in Beit Shemesh and $1,303 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 50% 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 $869, than in Beit Shemesh at $1,987. 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.