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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $636 in Beja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,092 in Beja, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,547 in Beja, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Beja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Beja are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Beja 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.80 TND 11.16

-46.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$16.61 TND 48.74

12.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.78 TND 14.04

64.44%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.71 TND 2.08

185.92%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.53 TND 1.55

50.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.23 TND 0.67

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.20 TND 3.53

78.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.63 TND 4.79

125.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.50 TND 1.46

246.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.13 TND 0.37

1107.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.25 TND 3.68

-4.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.74 TND 5.11

13.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.67 TND 19.56

143.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.67 TND 16.64

-46.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$13.61 TND 39.93

-20.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.52 TND 4.46

82.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$3.19 TND 9.35

-63.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.93 TND 2.73

83.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.59 TND 1.73

169.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.65 TND 1.92

113.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.64 TND 1.88

81.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.44 TND 1.28

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.31 TND 0.91

67.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.66 TND 10.73

27.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$5.19 TND 15.24

242.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.14 TND 3.35

57.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.05 TND 3.09

218.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.40 TND 1.16

127.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$10.34 TND 30.34

80.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.32 TND 0.93

340.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.31 TND 0.90

332.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.18 TND 18.12

31.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.77 TND 2.25

59.74%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$46.6K TND 136.8K

-54.02%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$35.5K TND 104.3K

-38.59%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$49.96 TND 147

42.77%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$11.00 TND 32.29

27.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$18.26 TND 53.6

-1.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$21.55 TND 63.2

89.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$23.94 TND 70.2

-71.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.42 TND 18.85

-10.90%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$62.0 TND 182

396.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,238 TND 3,634

1085.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$41.99 TND 123

32.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$61.7 TND 181

-57.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$129 TND 377

-34.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$83.8 TND 246

-15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$199 TND 584

112.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$136 TND 399

78.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$371 TND 1,087

115.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$407 TND 1,196

24.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$398 TND 1,168

381.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$109 TND 319

1248.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$337 TND 988

76.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Beja: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $199 in Beja. 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 77% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Beja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $168 – making Beja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Beja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 34% more than Beja, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $954 in Beja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Beja, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 80% less in Beja. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $62.0 in Beja. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $636 in Beja, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Beja costs $636 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Beja. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.