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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,517 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,312 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,108 in Belgrade, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 43% cheaper than Belgrade, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Belgrade is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$12.19 RSD 1,228

-84.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$49.60 RSD 4,999

-62.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$11.68 RSD 1,177

-33.05%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.86 RSD 288

-31.82%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.70 RSD 272

-68.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.17 RSD 219

-83.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.55 RSD 358

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.02 RSD 405

-7.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.52 RSD 153

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.92 RSD 92.7

77.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.05 RSD 308

-62.62%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.85 RSD 288

-32.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.46 RSD 1,155

41.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.46 RSD 752

-58.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.96 RSD 1,306

-15.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.41 RSD 142

95.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.89 RSD 191

-35.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.96 RSD 198

-17.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.78 RSD 280

-42.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.03 RSD 104

35.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.75 RSD 76.1

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.89 RSD 89.3

-25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.78 RSD 79.1

-32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.66 RSD 470

0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$9.65 RSD 972

93.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.87 RSD 87.5

106.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.51 RSD 153

113.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.98 RSD 98.5

-8.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.09 RSD 312

-54.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.90 RSD 90.3

43.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$17.87 RSD 1,801

-56.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.83 RSD 185

-30.60%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

-31.23%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

-17.91%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$210 RSD 21.1K

-67.06%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$22.09 RSD 2,226

-36.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$32.98 RSD 3,324

-45.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$38.57 RSD 3,887

6.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$20.97 RSD 2,114

-66.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.70 RSD 776

-23.12%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$449 RSD 45.3K

-33.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$9,106 RSD 917.7K

64.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$100 RSD 10.1K

-45.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$42.41 RSD 4,274

-36.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$113 RSD 11.4K

-24.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$118 RSD 11.9K

-40.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$852 RSD 85.9K

-49.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$571 RSD 57.5K

-58.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,569 RSD 158.1K

-48.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,024 RSD 103.2K

-49.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$5,218 RSD 525.9K

-62.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,155 RSD 318.0K

-53.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,234 RSD 124.4K

-49.98%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $852 in Belgrade. 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 100% higher in Belgrade, 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 $50.0 in Belgrade. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $243 in Belgrade – so Belgrade wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $1,517 in Belgrade – roughly 75% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,275 in Belgrade. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $50.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Belgrade – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Belgrade at $1,517. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $1,517 in Belgrade. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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