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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $963 per month in Bijeljina vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Bijeljina vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,957 per month in Bijeljina vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bijeljina costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Bijeljina and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bijeljina 28% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.90 BAM 14.96

$1.94 ฿63.5

358.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 BAM 59.4

$18.64 ฿609

89.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 BAM 8.39

$7.82 ฿255

-36.19%

Cappuccino

$1.44 BAM 2.41

$1.95 ฿63.8

-26.15%

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

$1.73 BAM 2.90

$0.85 ฿27.77

103.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 BAM 1.83

$0.35 ฿11.58

211.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 BAM 3.02

$2.13 ฿69.6

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 BAM 3.99

$3.73 ฿122

-36.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 BAM 2.71

$1.71 ฿56.0

-5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.63 ฿53.2

-26.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 BAM 2.91

$1.14 ฿37.15

51.75%

Eggs

$3.10 BAM 5.21

$1.93 ฿63.1

60.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 BAM 13.41

$16.21 ฿530

-50.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.05 BAM 13.52

$3.12 ฿102

158.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 BAM 20.47

$10.90 ฿356

11.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 BAM 2.81

$2.75 ฿90.0

-39.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 BAM 3.10

$1.21 ฿39.52

52.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BAM 3.07

$1.62 ฿53.0

12.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 BAM 4.49

$1.59 ฿51.8

67.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 BAM 2.69

$1.40 ฿45.70

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 BAM 2.47

$1.17 ฿38.17

25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 BAM 1.91

$0.66 ฿21.60

72.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 BAM 1.12

$0.53 ฿17.22

26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.73 BAM 6.27

$4.69 ฿153

-20.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 BAM 15.15

$18.66 ฿609

-51.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BAM 1.42

$1.80 ฿58.8

-53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 BAM 2.44

$3.23 ฿106

-55.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 BAM 4.04

$0.90 ฿29.26

167.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.94 BAM 30.15

$19.21 ฿628

-6.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BAM 2.43

$1.41 ฿45.91

2.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BAM 0.93

$1.29 ฿42.12

-56.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.77 BAM 19.78

$7.84 ฿256

50.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$1.27 ฿41.58

11.02%

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

$26.2K BAM 44.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

23.19%

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

$26.5K BAM 44.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

19.16%

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

$141 BAM 237

$69.1 ฿2,256

104.07%

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

$19.14 BAM 32.16

$14.08 ฿460

35.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.88 BAM 41.79

$18.00 ฿588

38.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.66 BAM 51.5

$41.06 ฿1,341

-25.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.80 BAM 14.78

$6.96 ฿227

26.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 BAM 8.50

$5.92 ฿193

-14.53%

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

$214 BAM 359

$299 ฿9,766

-28.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,300 BAM 5,544

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-77.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 BAM 98.4

$54.7 ฿1,787

7.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.71 BAM 44.87

$26.77 ฿874

-0.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 BAM 227

$85.0 ฿2,776

58.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 BAM 208

$70.6 ฿2,306

75.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 BAM 436

$428 ฿14.0K

-39.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 BAM 281

$237 ฿7,752

-29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 BAM 622

$801 ฿26.2K

-53.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 BAM 488

$515 ฿16.8K

-43.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,891 BAM 3,177

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-4.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 BAM 2,394

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-3.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$759 BAM 1,276

$617 ฿20.2K

22.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Bijeljina: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Bijeljina versus $428 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 23% higher in Bijeljina, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Bijeljina versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Bijeljina vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Bijeljina wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $963 in Bijeljina, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 11% apart. Bijeljina costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,444 per month in Bijeljina and $1,300 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $963 in Bijeljina and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $963 in Bijeljina and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $963 in Bijeljina. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Bijeljina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.