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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $631 in Beja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,080 in Beja, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,529 in Beja, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Beja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Beja are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Beja 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.98 TND 11.60

-50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$16.89 TND 49.26

11.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.93 TND 14.38

57.20%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.70 TND 2.04

174.29%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.52 TND 1.51

51.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.25 TND 0.73

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.16 TND 3.40

90.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.58 TND 4.61

131.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.47 TND 1.36

251.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.14 TND 0.41

1064.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.30 TND 3.80

-8.46%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.67 TND 4.87

19.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$6.86 TND 20.01

132.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.66 TND 16.51

-46.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$13.81 TND 40.29

-21.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.57 TND 4.59

75.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.15 TND 9.18

-62.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.97 TND 2.82

69.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.62 TND 1.81

145.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.66 TND 1.91

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.59 TND 1.73

101.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.40 TND 1.17

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.29 TND 0.84

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.54 TND 10.34

29.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.27 TND 15.36

214.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.20 TND 3.49

52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.08 TND 3.16

196.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.40 TND 1.15

120.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$10.08 TND 29.40

85.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.32 TND 0.93

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.33 TND 0.97

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.99 TND 17.49

30.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.81 TND 2.35

51.85%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$48.0K TND 140.2K

-54.99%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$35.7K TND 104.0K

-36.78%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$51.2 TND 149

37.88%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$10.97 TND 32.00

24.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$18.24 TND 53.2

-4.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$20.92 TND 61.0

97.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$24.13 TND 70.4

-71.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.48 TND 18.90

-10.96%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$61.8 TND 180

397.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,203 TND 3,510

1114.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$42.51 TND 124

31.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$61.7 TND 180

-57.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$126 TND 369

-32.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$82.2 TND 240

-12.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$201 TND 586

113.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$136 TND 397

75.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$382 TND 1,116

113.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$402 TND 1,172

27.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,025 TND 2,990

93.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$629 TND 1,834

136.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Beja: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $201 in Beja. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Beja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $169 – 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 38% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $947 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 86% less in Beja. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $61.8 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $631 in Beja, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Beja costs $631 versus $869 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.