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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,658 per month in Belgrade vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Belgrade vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,313 per month in Belgrade vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 74% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Belgrade sits 20% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 RSD 1,374

$2.10 ฿69.3

549.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 RSD 6,055

$19.84 ฿656

202.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.01 RSD 1,311

$5.79 ฿191

124.70%

Cappuccino

$3.18 RSD 321

$1.83 ฿60.4

73.77%

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

$2.93 RSD 295

$0.78 ฿25.61

275.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 RSD 251

$0.31 ฿10.37

703.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 RSD 361

$2.34 ฿77.2

52.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 RSD 408

$3.70 ฿122

9.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 RSD 150

$2.03 ฿67.1

-26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RSD 120

$1.60 ฿52.7

-25.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 RSD 290

$1.42 ฿46.75

102.82%

Eggs

$2.84 RSD 287

$2.18 ฿71.9

30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 RSD 1,198

$15.91 ฿526

-25.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 RSD 739

$3.07 ฿102

138.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.32 RSD 1,645

$9.87 ฿326

65.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 RSD 177

$2.63 ฿86.8

-33.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 RSD 187

$1.10 ฿36.19

69.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 192

$1.63 ฿53.8

16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 RSD 322

$1.53 ฿50.6

109.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RSD 93.2

$1.24 ฿41.13

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 RSD 73.3

$1.13 ฿37.37

-35.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 RSD 82.2

$0.74 ฿24.38

10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 RSD 69.2

$0.50 ฿16.48

38.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 RSD 482

$4.28 ฿141

11.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.86 RSD 994

$17.97 ฿594

-45.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RSD 91.1

$1.70 ฿56.1

-47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 RSD 154

$2.90 ฿95.7

-47.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 RSD 323

$1.23 ฿40.76

160.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 RSD 103

$0.53 ฿17.66

92.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 RSD 1,791

$2.40 ฿79.3

640.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 RSD 200

$1.44 ฿47.55

38.19%

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

$31.2K RSD 3.1M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

47.27%

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

$25.2K RSD 2.5M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-7.83%

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

$223 RSD 22.5K

$64.9 ฿2,145

243.45%

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

$26.22 RSD 2,642

$13.35 ฿441

96.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.14 RSD 3,643

$20.83 ฿688

73.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.95 RSD 4,329

$40.42 ฿1,336

6.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.54 RSD 2,372

$3.95 ฿131

495.95%

Cinema Ticket

$8.77 RSD 883

$6.71 ฿222

30.70%

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

$418 RSD 42.1K

$787 ฿26.0K

-46.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K RSD 1.2M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-23.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 RSD 11.3K

$56.2 ฿1,858

98.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.51 RSD 4,889

$24.95 ฿824

94.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 RSD 12.1K

$92.7 ฿3,063

29.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 RSD 16.3K

$75.1 ฿2,482

114.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 RSD 88.3K

$484 ฿16.0K

81.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 RSD 59.6K

$287 ฿9,491

105.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 RSD 161.5K

$910 ฿30.1K

76.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 RSD 99.4K

$531 ฿17.5K

85.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,708 RSD 575.3K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

188.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,286 RSD 331.2K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

126.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,276 RSD 128.6K

$605 ฿20.0K

110.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

5.57

-16.70%

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

Last update for Belgrade: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $876 in Belgrade versus $484 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 111% higher in Belgrade, 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 $60.0 in Belgrade versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $242 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,658 in Belgrade, $950 in Chiang Mai – roughly 74% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,487 per month in Belgrade and $1,426 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Belgrade and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Belgrade, 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 $950, than in Belgrade at $1,658. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $950 in Chiang Mai to $1,658 in Belgrade. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Belgrade makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.