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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,508 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,303 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,098 in Belgrade, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Belgrade is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$12.41 RSD 1,269

-84.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$49.13 RSD 5,024

-62.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$11.96 RSD 1,223

-37.46%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.83 RSD 289

-28.62%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$2.71 RSD 277

-68.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$2.17 RSD 222

-83.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$3.36 RSD 344

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.92 RSD 401

-8.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.47 RSD 150

12.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.94 RSD 96.5

67.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$3.05 RSD 312

-60.98%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.87 RSD 294

-32.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.34 RSD 1,160

42.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.48 RSD 765

-60.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$12.97 RSD 1,326

-15.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.42 RSD 145

90.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.90 RSD 194

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.96 RSD 200

-13.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.69 RSD 276

-40.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.03 RSD 105

33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.80 RSD 81.7

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.89 RSD 90.5

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.78 RSD 80.1

-28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.53 RSD 463

2.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.49 RSD 868

107.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.88 RSD 89.8

111.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.60 RSD 164

106.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.97 RSD 99.1

-9.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$3.23 RSD 330

-57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.96 RSD 97.9

39.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$17.63 RSD 1,803

-53.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.81 RSD 185

-32.60%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

-30.70%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$26.2K RSD 2.7M

-13.90%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$205 RSD 21.0K

-65.56%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$22.48 RSD 2,299

-37.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$32.43 RSD 3,316

-46.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$39.00 RSD 3,987

8.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$21.19 RSD 2,166

-67.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$8.04 RSD 822

-26.37%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$455 RSD 46.5K

-32.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$9,282 RSD 949.0K

60.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$101 RSD 10.3K

-44.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$42.53 RSD 4,349

-38.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$112 RSD 11.5K

-26.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$120 RSD 12.3K

-41.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$876 RSD 89.6K

-50.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$576 RSD 58.9K

-58.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,574 RSD 161.0K

-47.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$999 RSD 102.1K

-48.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$5,543 RSD 566.7K

-65.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$3,206 RSD 327.8K

-54.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,214 RSD 124.2K

-52.29%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $876 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 110% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Belgrade. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $240 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: $861 in Chiang Mai, $1,508 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,262 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $49.00 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 $861, than in Belgrade at $1,508. 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 $861 in Chiang Mai to $1,508 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.