Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Belišće

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,262 in Belišće, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Belišće, Croatia
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Belišće
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,262
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Belišće

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 Belišće actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai versus $1,262 in Belišće.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Belišće $1,262

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Chiang Mai versus $1,878 in Belišće.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Belišće $1,878

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,999 in Chiang Mai versus $2,493 in Belišće.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Belišće $2,493

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 26% less than in Belišće, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Belišće 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Belišće
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.4
$6.89 €6.13
-69.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿623
$39.67 €35.32
-53.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿187
$6.88 €6.12
-18.60%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$1.83 €1.63
-9.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.63
$2.20 €1.96
-70.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.20
$1.73 €1.54
-82.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿77.7
$2.23 €1.98
4.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿123
$2.19 €1.95
67.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Belišće
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿67.4
$0.86 €0.77
134.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.08
$0.64 €0.57
120.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.54
$2.75 €2.45
-49.45%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.2
$3.54 €3.15
-33.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿552
$11.54 €10.27
43.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿89.3
$8.49 €7.56
-68.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿302
$11.89 €10.58
-24.14%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.2
$1.13 €1.01
112.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.82
$1.37 €1.22
-24.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿55.5
$1.88 €1.67
-11.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.1
$2.63 €2.34
-40.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.39
$1.33 €1.18
-6.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.34
$1.18 €1.05
-7.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.47
$1.23 €1.10
-38.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.19
$1.13 €1.01
-54.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿138
$5.89 €5.25
-30.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿600
$7.94 €7.07
125.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.3
$1.11 €0.99
45.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿94.4
$2.05 €1.83
37.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Belišće
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.25
$1.72 €1.53
-45.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,769
$44.40 €39.54
19.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.35
$2.20 €1.96
-46.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.73
$0.58 €0.52
-70.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿60.6
$14.60 €13.00
-87.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.25
$1.66 €1.48
-11.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿702.6K
$27.6K €24.6K
-23.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿886.7K
$24.6K €21.9K
7.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Belišće
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,092
$121 €108
-48.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿388
$17.40 €15.49
-33.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿679
$25.63 €22.82
-20.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Belišće
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,267
$25.56 €22.76
48.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿124
$15.53 €13.83
-76.18%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿218
$5.07 €4.52
28.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Belišće
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.3K
$417 €371
74.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿554.2K
$4,150 €3,695
299.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Belišće
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,790
$103 €91.6
-47.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿829
$39.30 €34.99
-36.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,023
$44.55 €39.67
102.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,407
$55.4 €49.34
29.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Belišće
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.1K
$184 €164
161.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.4K
$531 €472
-41.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.4K
$341 €304
210.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.0K
$864 €769
-23.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿80.8K
$3,964 €3,530
-39.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿53.8K
$1,166 €1,038
37.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Belišće
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
$1,755 €1,562
-66.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.2
74.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Belišće: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Belišće
$531 71.2% $221
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Belišće
$238 0.5% $1.2
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Belišće
$109 0.6% $0.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Belišće
$164 73.4% $69
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Belišće
$129 68.4% $52
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Belišće
$56 3.9% $2.3
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Belišće
$36 29.9% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Chiang Mai and $184 in Belišće. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belišće pays about 2.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $40 in Belišće for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $238 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇭🇷 Belišće
🕒 Local time
16:49 4:49 PM
10:49 10:49 AM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
6,500
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Belišće 7,810 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Belišće

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 Belišće: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Chiang Mai and in Belišće?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,262 in Belišće, so Chiang Mai is about 26% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Chiang Mai. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Chiang Mai and in Belišće?
Rent for a central apartment: $481 in Chiang Mai versus $184 in Belišće. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Chiang Mai and Belišće?
Childcare runs $727 in Chiang Mai versus $417 in Belišće. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19 versus $40 in Belišće. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is feasible on a $800 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Chiang Mai and Belišće?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Chiang Mai or Belišće safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Belišće are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Chiang Mai and Belišće?
It comes down to priorities – Chiang Mai wins on affordability, Belišće on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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