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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,250 in Berwick versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,254 in Berwick versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,258 in Berwick versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Berwick is roughly 160% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Berwick is 68% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.43 A$22.89

$1.94 ฿63.5

746.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.0 A$109

$18.64 ฿609

318.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 A$13.92

$7.82 ฿255

27.75%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.74

$1.95 ฿63.8

74.87%

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

$2.50 A$3.49

$0.85 ฿27.77

194.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.07

$0.35 ฿11.58

531.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.47 A$9.02

$2.13 ฿69.6

203.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 A$9.70

$3.73 ฿122

86.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.05

$1.71 ฿56.0

-14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 A$3.28

$1.63 ฿53.2

44.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.81

$1.14 ฿37.15

76.32%

Eggs

$4.36 A$6.07

$1.93 ฿63.1

125.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 A$11.81

$16.21 ฿530

-47.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 A$12.03

$3.12 ฿102

176.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 A$19.39

$10.90 ฿356

27.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.42

$2.75 ฿90.0

15.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.83

$1.21 ฿39.52

127.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.15

$1.62 ฿53.0

83.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 A$5.77

$1.59 ฿51.8

160.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 A$3.39

$1.40 ฿45.70

73.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 A$2.91

$1.17 ฿38.17

78.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 A$3.00

$0.66 ฿21.60

225.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 A$2.19

$0.53 ฿17.22

196.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.34 A$42.28

$4.69 ฿153

546.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 A$19.34

$18.66 ฿609

-25.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.60 A$6.41

$1.80 ฿58.8

155.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.26

$3.23 ฿106

61.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.68

$0.90 ฿29.26

193.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 A$92.1

$19.21 ฿628

244.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 A$4.93

$1.41 ฿45.91

151.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 A$2.25

$1.29 ฿42.12

25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.97 A$45.94

$7.84 ฿256

320.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.64

$1.27 ฿41.58

-7.09%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

38.13%

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

$22.4K A$31.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

0.76%

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

$180 A$251

$69.1 ฿2,256

160.75%

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

$27.20 A$37.91

$14.08 ฿460

93.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 A$73.8

$18.00 ฿588

194.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.16 A$67.1

$41.06 ฿1,341

17.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.85 A$22.09

$6.96 ฿227

127.73%

Cinema Ticket

$13.15 A$18.33

$5.92 ฿193

122.13%

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

$1,648 A$2,297

$299 ฿9,766

451.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-20.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 A$96.5

$54.7 ฿1,787

26.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.66 A$69.2

$26.77 ฿874

85.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 A$136

$85.0 ฿2,776

15.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$148

$70.6 ฿2,306

50.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,729

$428 ฿14.0K

189.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 A$1,490

$237 ฿7,752

350.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 A$2,848

$801 ฿26.2K

155.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 A$2,319

$515 ฿16.8K

222.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,399 A$7,523

$1,975 ฿64.5K

173.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,343 A$7,446

$1,475 ฿48.2K

262.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

26.80%

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

Last update for Berwick: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,241 in Berwick and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Berwick vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,375 in Berwick and $1,300 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,241 in Berwick versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $78.0 in Berwick. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,250 per month in Berwick versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,250 in Berwick, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Berwick. 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 Berwick, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Berwick 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 160% less than in Berwick. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.