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 $1,164 per month in Berat vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Berat vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,414 per month in Berat vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Berat costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Berat and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Berat 16% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.26 ALL 810

$2.10 ฿69.3

388.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.70 ALL 2,741

$19.84 ฿656

74.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 ALL 689

$5.79 ฿191

50.60%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ALL 148

$1.83 ฿60.4

2.19%

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

$1.86 ALL 147

$0.78 ฿25.61

138.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ALL 81.0

$0.31 ฿10.37

232.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 ALL 222

$2.34 ฿77.2

20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 ALL 305

$3.70 ฿122

4.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 167

$2.03 ฿67.1

3.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ALL 96.1

$1.60 ฿52.7

-23.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 ALL 196

$1.42 ฿46.75

75.35%

Eggs

$3.12 ALL 247

$2.18 ฿71.9

43.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 ALL 888

$15.91 ฿526

-29.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 ALL 694

$3.07 ฿102

185.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.43 ALL 1,377

$9.87 ฿326

76.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ALL 158

$2.63 ฿86.8

-23.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ALL 196

$1.10 ฿36.19

125.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 ALL 133

$1.63 ฿53.8

3.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ALL 116

$1.53 ฿50.6

-3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ALL 81.6

$1.24 ฿41.13

-16.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ALL 97.1

$1.13 ฿37.37

8.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ALL 72.8

$0.74 ฿24.38

24.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ALL 61.4

$0.50 ฿16.48

56.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 ALL 373

$4.28 ฿141

10.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.12 ALL 878

$17.97 ฿594

-38.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ALL 100

$1.70 ฿56.1

-25.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ALL 122

$2.90 ฿95.7

-46.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ALL 30.82

$0.94 ฿31.13

-58.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.39 ALL 1,611

$55.3 ฿1,827

-63.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 ALL 306

$1.23 ฿40.76

215.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.74 ALL 296

$0.53 ฿17.66

605.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.13 ALL 1,511

$2.40 ฿79.3

697.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 ALL 177

$1.44 ฿47.55

55.56%

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

$35.5K ALL 2.8M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

67.33%

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

$36.9K ALL 2.9M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

35.04%

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

$86.6 ALL 6,837

$64.9 ฿2,145

33.33%

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

$19.10 ALL 1,509

$13.35 ฿441

43.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.15 ALL 1,670

$20.83 ฿688

1.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.3 ALL 4,605

$40.42 ฿1,336

44.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 ALL 1,484

$3.95 ฿131

375.70%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ALL 798

$6.71 ฿222

50.52%

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

$189 ALL 14.9K

$787 ฿26.0K

-76.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,882 ALL 148.6K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-87.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.85 ALL 3,937

$56.2 ฿1,858

-11.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.52 ALL 3,753

$24.95 ฿824

90.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ALL 9,744

$92.7 ฿3,063

33.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ALL 8,970

$75.1 ฿2,482

51.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 ALL 38.6K

$484 ฿16.0K

1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ALL 27.1K

$287 ฿9,491

19.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 ALL 56.5K

$910 ฿30.1K

-21.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 ALL 37.8K

$531 ฿17.5K

-9.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,880 ALL 148.5K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-5.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,279 ALL 101.0K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-11.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$496 ALL 39.2K

$605 ฿20.0K

-17.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.57

-1.26%

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

Last update for Berat: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Berat 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 22% 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 $35.00 in Berat versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 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

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

Yes – Berat is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,746 per month in Berat 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.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $35.00 in Berat and $20.00 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 $950, than in Berat at $1,164. 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.