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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,526 in Berane versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Berane versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,158 in Berane versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Berane is roughly 76% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Berane is 14% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.98 €13.85

$1.98 ฿65.0

707.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 €56.9

$18.80 ฿619

249.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.59 €10.05

$7.75 ฿255

49.55%

Cappuccino

$2.96 €2.56

$1.92 ฿63.2

54.17%

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

$2.17 €1.88

$0.79 ฿26.07

174.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.36 ฿11.74

316.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.08

$2.21 ฿72.9

61.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 €3.23

$3.66 ฿120

1.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.65 ฿54.4

-15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.63 ฿53.7

-29.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$1.19 ฿39.28

106.72%

Eggs

$3.20 €2.77

$2.00 ฿65.8

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 €7.63

$15.98 ฿526

-44.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.06 €6.98

$3.03 ฿99.6

166.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.90 €10.32

$10.86 ฿357

9.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 €1.13

$2.76 ฿90.9

-52.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.18 ฿38.83

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.64 ฿54.0

-1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.44

$1.52 ฿50.0

85.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 €0.93

$1.38 ฿45.59

-22.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.19 ฿39.25

7.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.48

$0.70 ฿23.11

144.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$0.56 ฿18.32

119.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 €3.89

$4.58 ฿151

-1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.51 €3.91

$16.56 ฿545

-72.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.83 ฿60.2

-30.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.55

$3.20 ฿105

-44.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.88 ฿28.87

69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.07 €33.00

$18.72 ฿616

103.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.36 ฿44.64

-15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 €0.88

$1.34 ฿44.12

-24.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 €15.13

$7.84 ฿258

122.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.23 ฿40.35

39.02%

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

$30.3K €26.3K

$21.6K ฿711.8K

40.25%

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

$26.2K €22.7K

$22.5K ฿742.2K

16.29%

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

$157 €136

$70.5 ฿2,322

122.17%

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

$18.08 €15.67

$13.68 ฿450

32.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.38 €28.93

$17.45 ฿574

91.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.25 €38.35

$41.33 ฿1,361

7.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 €12.26

$6.96 ฿229

103.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 €4.99

$5.77 ฿190

-0.17%

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

$420 €364

$307 ฿10.1K

36.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,808

$14.6K ฿481.0K

-30.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 €98.9

$55.8 ฿1,837

104.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.12 €42.57

$26.21 ฿863

87.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €97.5

$85.8 ฿2,823

31.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 €175

$72.2 ฿2,378

179.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 €628

$430 ฿14.1K

68.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 €470

$239 ฿7,857

127.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 €1,108

$817 ฿26.9K

56.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 €793

$511 ฿16.8K

79.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,309 €2,868

$1,983 ฿65.3K

66.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,793 €2,420

$1,484 ฿48.9K

88.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$583 €505

$619 ฿20.4K

-5.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

18.60%

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

Last update for Berane: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $725 in Berane and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Berane vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $241, with Berane 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $725 in Berane versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,526 per month in Berane versus $869 in Chiang Mai – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 103% less than in Berane. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,526 in Berane, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Berane. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Berane, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Berane 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.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Berane. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.