Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bega NSW

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $2,529 in Bega NSW, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Bega NSW
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Bega NSW Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Bega NSW

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,529

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Bega NSW

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Bega NSW actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,529 in Bega NSW, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Bega NSW $2,529

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,815 in Bega NSW, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Bega NSW $3,815

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,101 in Bega NSW, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Bega NSW $5,101

Chiang Mai is about 63% cheaper than Bega NSW, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Bega NSW is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.9

$17.70 A$25.28

-87.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$84.4 A$120

-77.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$10.40 A$14.85

-46.15%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.0

$4.11 A$5.87

-59.61%

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

$0.65 ฿21.80

$2.90 A$4.14

-77.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.28

$2.24 A$3.20

-86.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

$7.88 A$11.26

-70.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$7.74 A$11.06

-52.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.9

$1.51 A$2.16

33.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.45

$2.72 A$3.89

-48.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.90

$2.30 A$3.28

-39.57%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.8

$4.83 A$6.90

-50.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$9.06 A$12.93

82.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.0

$9.07 A$12.95

-70.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$14.50 A$20.71

-37.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.8

$3.75 A$5.36

-36.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.09

$3.09 A$4.41

-66.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$3.16 A$4.52

-47.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

$4.60 A$6.57

-66.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.71

$2.75 A$3.93

-54.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.62

$2.48 A$3.55

-56.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.67

$2.41 A$3.44

-68.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.33

$1.56 A$2.22

-67.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$41.98 A$60.0

-90.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿604

$13.98 A$19.96

28.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.7

$4.67 A$6.67

-65.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.1

$5.26 A$7.51

-46.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.49

$2.71 A$3.86

-65.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,782

$84.0 A$120

-37.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.65

$3.47 A$4.95

-65.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$1.63 A$2.32

-89.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$40.93 A$58.5

-95.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.63

$1.32 A$1.88

11.36%

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

$21.0K ฿708.1K

$29.4K A$42.1K

-28.65%

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

$26.5K ฿893.6K

$26.4K A$37.7K

0.46%

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

$62.6 ฿2,108

$212 A$303

-70.49%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$27.96 A$39.93

-58.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿684

$57.2 A$81.6

-64.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,277

$57.0 A$81.3

-33.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$17.93 A$25.61

-79.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$14.27 A$20.38

-54.38%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$2,136 A$3,050

-65.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿558.5K

$20.4K A$29.1K

-18.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,804

$75.8 A$108

-29.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$54.4 A$77.7

-54.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,046

$108 A$154

-16.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,425

$121 A$173

-40.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$1,430 A$2,042

-66.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$1,217 A$1,739

-74.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$2,250 A$3,213

-52.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$1,830 A$2,614

-64.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

$5,831 A$8,327

-58.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.2K

$4,961 A$7,084

-67.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.9

-5.59%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bega NSW: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Bega NSW

$1.2K 48.1% 293% $907

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Bega NSW

$363 14.4% 53.5% $127

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Bega NSW

$162 6.4% 49.2% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Bega NSW

$297 11.8% 215% $203

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Bega NSW

$298 11.8% 289% $221

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Bega NSW

$106 4.2% 81.4% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Bega NSW

$86 3.4% 68% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,255 in Bega NSW. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $88 in Bega NSW. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $363 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇦🇺 Bega NSW

🕒 Local time

18:18 6:18 PM

22:18 10:18 PM

4 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

4,683

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 AUD = 0.7 USD

1 AUD = 0.625 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Bega NSW 8,150 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Bega NSW

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bega NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bega NSW is pricier by about 170%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,793 in Bega NSW. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,255 in Bega NSW.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,121 in Bega NSW. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Bega NSW, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $2,529 in Bega NSW. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 63% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.