😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,781 in Bethune versus $852 in Chiang Mai.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,727 in Bethune versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,673 in Bethune versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.
😐Living in Bethune is roughly 109% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Bethune is 33% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Bethune
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.83€15.26
$1.96฿64.0
809.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3€60.2
$18.81฿615
273.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.83€11.84
$7.92฿259
74.62%
Cappuccino
$3.23€2.76
$1.91฿62.6
69.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96€2.53
$0.84฿27.41
252.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03€1.74
$0.35฿11.51
480.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.82€5.84
$2.21฿72.1
208.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74€4.91
$3.80฿124
51.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bethune
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.36€1.16
$1.64฿53.5
-17.07%
White Bread(500g)
$1.79€1.53
$1.62฿53.1
10.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.04€2.60
$1.18฿38.62
157.63%
Eggs
$3.99€3.41
$2.01฿65.8
98.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$22.26€19.06
$15.89฿520
40.09%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.32€11.40
$3.01฿98.5
342.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.42€20.05
$10.77฿352
117.46%
Apples(1kg)
$3.06€2.62
$2.61฿85.5
17.24%
Banana(1kg)
$2.16€1.85
$1.22฿39.88
77.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.37€2.03
$1.70฿55.7
39.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.20€2.74
$1.58฿51.5
102.53%
Potato(1kg)
$1.92€1.64
$1.32฿43.14
45.45%
Onion(1kg)
$2.11€1.81
$1.17฿38.23
80.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.46€1.25
$0.67฿21.98
117.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60€0.51
$0.56฿18.32
7.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.68€11.71
$4.53฿148
201.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.28€7.09
$18.20฿595
-54.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83€1.57
$1.83฿60.0
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67€2.28
$3.23฿106
-17.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Bethune
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.90€1.62
$0.89฿29.00
113.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$51.9€44.42
$19.38฿634
167.75%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.45€2.09
$1.35฿44.20
81.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.87€1.60
$1.35฿44.05
38.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$40.49€34.66
$8.25฿270
390.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.02€1.73
$1.27฿41.64
59.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K€32.7K
$21.2K฿691.8K
80.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.7K€32.3K
$22.5K฿735.3K
67.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bethune
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$182€156
$70.2฿2,294
159.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.79€19.51
$13.77฿450
65.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.82€24.67
$17.60฿575
63.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bethune
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.03€31.70
$41.57฿1,360
-10.92%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.06€15.46
$6.60฿216
173.64%
Cinema Ticket
$10.31€8.83
$5.78฿189
78.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bethune
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$574€491
$306฿10.0K
87.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,452€7,235
$14.8K฿484.8K
-42.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bethune
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.0€76.2
$54.4฿1,778
63.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.61€31.33
$26.14฿855
40.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.5€68.9
$84.5฿2,764
-4.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.3€85.0
$69.4฿2,270
43.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bethune
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$772€661
$424฿13.9K
82.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$610€522
$238฿7,788
156.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,365€1,168
$825฿27.0K
65.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,098€940
$515฿16.8K
113.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,650€3,980
$2,049฿67.0K
126.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,881€2,466
$1,523฿49.8K
89.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bethune
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,838€3,285
$635฿20.8K
504.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.69
5
-26.20%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Bethune: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $772 in Bethune and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bethune pays 504% 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: $70.0 in Bethune vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Bethune vs Chiang Mai: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Bethune or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 109% lower than in Bethune. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Bethune or Chiang Mai?
Bethune pays 504% 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 much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Bethune vs Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $772 in Bethune versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Bethune and Chiang Mai?
Childcare runs $574 in Bethune versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Bethune or Chiang Mai?
Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Bethune. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Bethune or Chiang Mai?
At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,781 in Bethune, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bethune. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bethune or Chiang Mai?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.
How safe is Bethune compared to Chiang Mai?
Safety-wise, Bethune 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Bethune. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Bethune vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado