Cost of Living Comparison Between Beliลกฤ‡e and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Beliลกฤ‡e and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,213 in Beliลกฤ‡e versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,820 in Beliลกฤ‡e versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,427 in Beliลกฤ‡e versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Beliลกฤ‡e is roughly 40% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Beliลกฤ‡e 9% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Beliลกฤ‡e
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.27 โ‚ฌ7.11
$1.94 เธฟ63.5
326.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.47 โ‚ฌ34.81
$18.64 เธฟ609
117.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.92 โ‚ฌ5.95
$7.82 เธฟ255
-11.51%
Cappuccino
$2.14 โ‚ฌ1.84
$1.95 เธฟ63.8
9.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 โ‚ฌ1.95
$0.85 เธฟ27.77
165.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 โ‚ฌ1.79
$0.35 เธฟ11.58
497.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.35 โ‚ฌ2.02
$2.13 เธฟ69.6
10.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 โ‚ฌ2.04
$3.73 เธฟ122
-36.46%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Beliลกฤ‡e
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 โ‚ฌ0.78
$1.71 เธฟ56.0
-46.78%
White Bread (500g)
$0.66 โ‚ฌ0.57
$1.63 เธฟ53.2
-59.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 โ‚ฌ2.43
$1.14 เธฟ37.15
147.37%
Eggs
$3.14 โ‚ฌ2.70
$1.93 เธฟ63.1
62.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.84 โ‚ฌ9.32
$16.21 เธฟ530
-33.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.65 โ‚ฌ6.58
$3.12 เธฟ102
145.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.29 โ‚ฌ9.71
$10.90 เธฟ356
3.58%
Apples (1kg)
$1.18 โ‚ฌ1.02
$2.75 เธฟ90.0
-57.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 โ‚ฌ1.18
$1.21 เธฟ39.52
13.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 โ‚ฌ1.38
$1.62 เธฟ53.0
-1.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.52 โ‚ฌ2.17
$1.59 เธฟ51.8
58.49%
Potato (1kg)
$0.91 โ‚ฌ0.78
$1.40 เธฟ45.70
-35.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.22 โ‚ฌ1.05
$1.17 เธฟ38.17
4.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 โ‚ฌ1.05
$0.66 เธฟ21.60
84.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 โ‚ฌ0.82
$0.53 เธฟ17.22
79.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.67 โ‚ฌ4.88
$4.69 เธฟ153
20.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.77 โ‚ฌ6.69
$18.66 เธฟ609
-58.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 โ‚ฌ1.02
$1.80 เธฟ58.8
-33.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 โ‚ฌ1.74
$3.23 เธฟ106
-37.46%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Beliลกฤ‡e
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.69 โ‚ฌ1.46
$0.90 เธฟ29.26
87.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.34 โ‚ฌ36.42
$19.21 เธฟ628
120.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 โ‚ฌ3.28
$1.41 เธฟ45.91
170.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 โ‚ฌ0.95
$1.29 เธฟ42.12
-14.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.71 โ‚ฌ4.91
$7.84 เธฟ256
-27.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.66 โ‚ฌ1.42
$1.27 เธฟ41.58
30.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K โ‚ฌ28.0K
$21.3K เธฟ694.9K
53.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K โ‚ฌ22.8K
$22.2K เธฟ725.4K
19.37%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beliลกฤ‡e
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 โ‚ฌ107
$69.1 เธฟ2,256
79.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.07 โ‚ฌ15.54
$14.08 เธฟ460
28.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.21 โ‚ฌ22.55
$18.00 เธฟ588
45.61%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Beliลกฤ‡e
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.53 โ‚ฌ21.96
$41.06 เธฟ1,341
-37.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.98 โ‚ฌ12.88
$6.96 เธฟ227
115.23%
Cinema Ticket
$5.26 โ‚ฌ4.53
$5.92 เธฟ193
-11.15%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Beliลกฤ‡e
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$345 โ‚ฌ297
$299 เธฟ9,766
15.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,799 โ‚ฌ2,407
$15.0K เธฟ488.3K
-81.28%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Beliลกฤ‡e
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$123 โ‚ฌ106
$54.7 เธฟ1,787
124.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.74 โ‚ฌ37.62
$26.77 เธฟ874
63.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$46.48 โ‚ฌ39.98
$85.0 เธฟ2,776
-45.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.4 โ‚ฌ49.33
$70.6 เธฟ2,306
-18.77%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Beliลกฤ‡e
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$191 โ‚ฌ164
$428 เธฟ14.0K
-55.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$464 โ‚ฌ399
$237 เธฟ7,752
95.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$347 โ‚ฌ298
$801 เธฟ26.2K
-56.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 โ‚ฌ663
$515 เธฟ16.8K
49.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,078 โ‚ฌ3,508
$1,975 เธฟ64.5K
106.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,241 โ‚ฌ1,067
$1,475 เธฟ48.2K
-15.89%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Beliลกฤ‡e
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,884 โ‚ฌ1,621
$617 เธฟ20.2K
205.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.2
5
-36.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Beliลกฤ‡e: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Beliลกฤ‡e and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beliลกฤ‡e pays 205% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Beliลกฤ‡e vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 vs $246, with Beliลกฤ‡e cheaper for home cooking.

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
Beliลกฤ‡e vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Beliลกฤ‡e and Chiang Mai?
Beliลกฤ‡e and Chiang Mai differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,213 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Beliลกฤ‡e or Chiang Mai?
Beliลกฤ‡e pays 205% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Beliลกฤ‡e and Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $191 in Beliลกฤ‡e versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Beliลกฤ‡e and Chiang Mai?
Childcare runs $345 in Beliลกฤ‡e versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Beliลกฤ‡e pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How far does $800 go in Beliลกฤ‡e vs Chiang Mai?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Beliลกฤ‡e and Chiang Mai?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Beliลกฤ‡e or Chiang Mai safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Beliลกฤ‡e and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Beliลกฤ‡e or Chiang Mai?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 40% less than in Beliลกฤ‡e. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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