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: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $927 in Bečej.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,394 in Bečej.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $1,861 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 35% lower, Bečej 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$7.04 RSD 712

-71.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$34.45 RSD 3,484

-45.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$9.67 RSD 978

-19.86%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.21 RSD 122

58.68%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.45 RSD 146

-45.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.82 RSD 82.9

-56.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.51 RSD 153

46.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.95 RSD 197

87.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.94 RSD 95.4

75.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.93 RSD 94.2

75.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.52 RSD 154

-21.71%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.15 RSD 218

-6.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.49 RSD 960

68.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.11 RSD 719

-57.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.53 RSD 761

44.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.02 RSD 104

170.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.87 RSD 189

-36.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.54 RSD 156

6.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.00 RSD 202

-24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.71 RSD 71.9

94.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.36 RSD 36.70

230.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.66 RSD 67.2

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.61 RSD 62.1

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.03 RSD 408

13.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$3.98 RSD 403

316.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.71 RSD 71.4

157.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.01 RSD 102

216.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.93 RSD 94.0

-5.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$27.49 RSD 2,780

-31.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.91 RSD 194

-28.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.69 RSD 70.2

94.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.94 RSD 1,005

-21.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.89 RSD 191

-34.92%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

-29.32%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$27.2K RSD 2.7M

-17.02%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$63.3 RSD 6,403

11.42%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$10.16 RSD 1,028

34.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$24.05 RSD 2,432

-27.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$30.68 RSD 3,103

34.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.77 RSD 1,696

-58.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.99 RSD 808

-27.78%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$457 RSD 46.2K

-32.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,019 RSD 507.6K

191.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$99.3 RSD 10.0K

-43.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$41.68 RSD 4,215

-37.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$64.5 RSD 6,519

33.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$116 RSD 11.8K

-37.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$372 RSD 37.6K

15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$302 RSD 30.5K

-20.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$568 RSD 57.4K

43.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$409 RSD 41.3K

25.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,138 RSD 216.2K

-7.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,428 RSD 144.5K

3.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$541 RSD 54.7K

14.31%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bečej: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $372 in Bečej. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 14% 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 $241 vs $179, 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chiang Mai pays 14% more on average, 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: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $372 in Bečej. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $869 per month in Chiang Mai versus $927 in Bečej – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 47% less than in Bečej. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $927 in Bečej, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bečej. 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 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 7% less than in Bečej. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.