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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $892 in Bečej.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,356 in Bečej.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,819 in Bečej.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 5% more expensive than in Bečej, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bečej 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$6.91 RSD 704

-69.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$34.92 RSD 3,558

-43.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.96 RSD 1,015

-43.07%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.18 RSD 120

53.39%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.46 RSD 149

-47.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.83 RSD 84.2

-57.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.53 RSD 156

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.01 RSD 205

88.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$0.96 RSD 98.2

113.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.19 RSD 121

26.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.51 RSD 154

-7.28%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.11 RSD 215

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.17 RSD 934

76.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$7.02 RSD 716

-58.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.52 RSD 767

25.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.01 RSD 103

165.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.93 RSD 197

-43.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.54 RSD 157

5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.94 RSD 198

-24.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.68 RSD 69.1

88.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.34 RSD 34.40

211.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.67 RSD 68.6

7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.57 RSD 58.2

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.88 RSD 395

9.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$4.03 RSD 411

353.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$0.72 RSD 73.1

126.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.02 RSD 104

184.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.90 RSD 91.8

-2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$2.03 RSD 207

-42.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.83 RSD 84.2

-30.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$9.84 RSD 1,003

-75.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.92 RSD 195

-24.48%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$32.2K RSD 3.3M

-34.76%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$25.7K RSD 2.6M

2.87%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$65.0 RSD 6,621

-2.05%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$9.99 RSD 1,018

29.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$23.48 RSD 2,393

-12.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$30.28 RSD 3,085

28.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$13.86 RSD 1,412

-71.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$8.79 RSD 896

-25.14%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$418 RSD 42.6K

87.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$11.8K RSD 1.2M

24.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$111 RSD 11.3K

-50.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$49.43 RSD 5,036

-49.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$65.0 RSD 6,623

44.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$121 RSD 12.3K

-38.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$322 RSD 32.8K

52.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$271 RSD 27.6K

6.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$455 RSD 46.3K

96.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$387 RSD 39.4K

34.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$2,177 RSD 221.8K

-9.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,548 RSD 157.7K

-6.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$550 RSD 56.1K

9.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.64

20.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bečej: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $322 in Bečej. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 9% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $35.00 in Bečej. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $180, 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

Bečej is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $322 in Bečej. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $892 in Bečej – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Bečej versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bečej but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bečej the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bečej is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, 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 Bečej gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.