Cost of Living Comparison Between Beja and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Beja and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $631 per month in Beja vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,092 per month in Beja vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,554 per month in Beja vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Beja is about 32% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beja and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Beja 54% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.18 TND 12.12

$2.08 ฿69.5

100.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.37 TND 50.4

$19.61 ฿655

-11.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 TND 13.60

$5.67 ฿189

-17.28%

Cappuccino

$0.64 TND 1.84

$1.81 ฿60.3

-64.64%

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

$0.54 TND 1.56

$0.77 ฿25.65

-29.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 TND 0.79

$0.35 ฿11.53

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 TND 3.41

$2.21 ฿73.9

-46.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 TND 5.03

$3.79 ฿127

-54.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.45 TND 1.30

$2.05 ฿68.4

-78.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 TND 0.38

$1.51 ฿50.6

-91.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 TND 5.00

$1.40 ฿46.69

22.86%

Eggs

$1.51 TND 4.38

$2.26 ฿75.4

-33.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 TND 24.27

$16.19 ฿540

-48.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 TND 19.06

$2.90 ฿96.7

126.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 TND 39.87

$9.42 ฿314

45.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 TND 4.90

$2.68 ฿89.4

-36.94%

Banana (1kg)

$4.70 TND 13.62

$1.09 ฿36.37

331.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 TND 3.33

$1.62 ฿54.0

-29.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 TND 2.59

$1.46 ฿48.74

-39.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 TND 1.93

$1.28 ฿42.65

-47.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 TND 1.79

$1.06 ฿35.31

-41.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 TND 1.44

$0.72 ฿23.94

-30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.84

$0.53 ฿17.56

-45.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 TND 10.06

$4.23 ฿141

-17.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.17 TND 15.00

$18.29 ฿611

-71.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 TND 3.44

$1.63 ฿54.4

-26.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 TND 4.12

$2.90 ฿96.8

-51.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 TND 1.14

$0.88 ฿29.32

-55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.57 TND 45.16

$53.8 ฿1,795

-71.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$1.17 ฿39.14

-72.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 TND 1.22

$0.58 ฿19.30

-27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 TND 15.16

$2.39 ฿79.6

118.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 TND 2.25

$1.45 ฿48.41

-46.21%

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

$39.6K TND 115.0K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

88.66%

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

$36.8K TND 106.8K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

39.33%

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

$45.47 TND 132

$63.7 ฿2,125

-28.56%

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

$10.86 TND 31.49

$12.89 ฿430

-15.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.91 TND 60.7

$20.52 ฿685

1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.27 TND 58.8

$39.02 ฿1,302

-48.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 TND 68.7

$3.92 ฿131

504.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.50 TND 10.14

$6.58 ฿220

-46.81%

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

$61.1 TND 177

$784 ฿26.2K

-92.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,207 TND 3,502

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-91.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 TND 165

$55.1 ฿1,840

3.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 TND 192

$24.74 ฿826

167.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 TND 320

$94.1 ฿3,142

17.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 TND 413

$74.0 ฿2,469

92.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$169 TND 491

$490 ฿16.4K

-65.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.5 TND 245

$288 ฿9,620

-70.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 TND 788

$891 ฿29.8K

-69.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 TND 879

$521 ฿17.4K

-41.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$410 TND 1,189

$1,974 ฿65.9K

-79.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$109 TND 318

$1,444 ฿48.2K

-92.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$344 TND 997

$602 ฿20.1K

-42.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Beja: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $169 in Beja versus $490 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.

Salaries run about 75% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Beja versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $241 – making Beja 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

Beja vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Beja, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $946 per month in Beja and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Beja, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 245% less in Beja. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $61.1 per month in Beja and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Beja, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Beja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Beja costs $631 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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