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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,147 per month in Berat vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,697 per month in Berat vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,246 per month in Berat vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Berat costs about 35% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Berat and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Berat 14% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.64 ALL 950

$1.96 ฿64.0

493.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 ALL 2,660

$18.81 ฿615

73.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.37 ALL 683

$7.92 ฿259

5.68%

Cappuccino

$1.75 ALL 143

$1.91 ฿62.6

-8.38%

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

$1.81 ALL 148

$0.84 ฿27.41

115.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ALL 72.9

$0.35 ฿11.51

154.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ALL 216

$2.21 ฿72.1

19.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ALL 297

$3.80 ฿124

-4.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ALL 155

$1.64 ฿53.5

15.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ALL 88.8

$1.62 ฿53.1

-32.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ALL 181

$1.18 ฿38.62

88.14%

Eggs

$2.97 ALL 243

$2.01 ฿65.8

47.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 ALL 881

$15.89 ฿520

-32.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 ALL 642

$3.01 ฿98.5

161.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 ALL 1,290

$10.77 ฿352

46.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ALL 140

$2.61 ฿85.5

-34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 ALL 195

$1.22 ฿39.88

95.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 ALL 126

$1.70 ฿55.7

-9.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ALL 114

$1.58 ฿51.5

-11.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 ALL 73.3

$1.32 ฿43.14

-31.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 94.2

$1.17 ฿38.23

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 ALL 64.5

$0.67 ฿21.98

17.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 59.2

$0.56 ฿18.32

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ALL 345

$4.53 ฿148

-6.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 ALL 863

$18.20 ฿595

-41.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ALL 99.2

$1.83 ฿60.0

-33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ALL 117

$3.23 ฿106

-55.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ALL 27.52

$0.89 ฿29.00

-61.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.46 ALL 1,508

$19.38 ฿634

-4.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ALL 281

$1.35 ฿44.20

154.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 ALL 250

$1.35 ฿44.05

127.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.75 ALL 1,449

$8.25 ฿270

115.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 ALL 165

$1.27 ฿41.64

59.06%

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

$40.1K ALL 3.3M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

89.37%

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

$36.1K ALL 2.9M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

60.43%

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

$82.7 ALL 6,756

$70.2 ฿2,294

17.95%

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

$17.72 ALL 1,447

$13.77 ฿450

28.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.20 ALL 1,486

$17.60 ฿575

3.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ALL 4,432

$41.57 ฿1,360

30.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 ALL 2,081

$6.60 ฿216

286.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ALL 751

$5.78 ฿189

59.00%

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

$157 ALL 12.8K

$306 ฿10.0K

-48.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,799 ALL 146.9K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-87.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 ALL 5,640

$54.4 ฿1,778

27.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.96 ALL 4,079

$26.14 ฿855

91.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ALL 8,776

$84.5 ฿2,764

27.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ALL 10.5K

$69.4 ฿2,270

85.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 ALL 36.9K

$424 ฿13.9K

6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ALL 28.2K

$238 ฿7,788

45.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 ALL 49.8K

$825 ฿27.0K

-26.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ALL 36.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

-14.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,857 ALL 151.6K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-9.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,205 ALL 98.4K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-20.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$498 ALL 40.6K

$635 ฿20.8K

-21.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

10.40%

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

Last update for Berat: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $452 in Berat versus $424 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 28% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Berat versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $243 – 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

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

Yes – Berat is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,721 per month in Berat and $1,278 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 4% more in Berat, 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 $33.00 in Berat 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 $852, than in Berat at $1,147. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berat 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, Berat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.