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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $904 in Bečej.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,391 in Bečej.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $1,877 in Bečej.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 6% less than in Bečej, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bečej 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.86 RSD 697

-70.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$34.49 RSD 3,508

-45.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$9.63 RSD 980

-18.38%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.21 RSD 123

67.77%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.46 RSD 148

-45.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.76 RSD 77.0

-53.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.52 RSD 154

40.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.95 RSD 198

88.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.98 RSD 99.3

76.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.87 RSD 88.0

80.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.49 RSD 152

-19.46%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.10 RSD 214

-6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.32 RSD 948

74.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.95 RSD 706

-55.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.43 RSD 756

45.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.00 RSD 102

177.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.88 RSD 191

-37.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.60 RSD 163

6.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.03 RSD 206

-21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.72 RSD 73.2

93.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.37 RSD 37.25

213.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.70 RSD 71.6

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.58 RSD 59.0

-10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.91 RSD 398

18.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$3.89 RSD 396

357.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.68 RSD 68.9

163.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$0.98 RSD 99.5

240.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.91 RSD 92.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$28.24 RSD 2,873

-33.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.01 RSD 204

-29.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.70 RSD 71.1

91.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$9.90 RSD 1,007

-18.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.87 RSD 190

-34.22%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$30.1K RSD 3.1M

-28.85%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$26.7K RSD 2.7M

-18.40%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$64.1 RSD 6,514

11.37%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$10.07 RSD 1,024

39.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$23.97 RSD 2,438

-25.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$30.76 RSD 3,129

32.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$16.66 RSD 1,694

-58.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.99 RSD 813

-28.41%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$443 RSD 45.0K

-30.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$5,159 RSD 524.8K

184.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$101 RSD 10.2K

-44.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$43.01 RSD 4,375

-39.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$64.9 RSD 6,600

30.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$116 RSD 11.8K

-38.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$381 RSD 38.8K

10.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$296 RSD 30.1K

-18.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$559 RSD 56.9K

42.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$408 RSD 41.5K

24.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,943 RSD 197.6K

-1.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,587 RSD 161.4K

-7.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$541 RSD 55.0K

9.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

-10.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bečej: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $381 in Bečej. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $34.00 in Bečej. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $176, with Bečej cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $381 in Bečej. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $904 in Bečej – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 52% less than in Bečej. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bečej, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bečej 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 6% less than in Bečej. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.