Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Belize City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Belize City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,076 in Belize City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,657 in Belize City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,238 in Belize City.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 20% less than in Belize City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Belize City 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$6.34 BZD 12.67

-69.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$39.37 BZD 78.7

-53.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.87 BZD 11.75

27.43%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.69 BZD 7.38

-45.26%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.35 BZD 2.70

-37.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.28 BZD 2.56

-71.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.22 BZD 4.43

-3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.49 BZD 6.98

2.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$3.19 BZD 6.38

-48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.27 BZD 2.54

23.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.24 BZD 4.48

-46.88%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.33 BZD 4.66

-16.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$7.17 BZD 14.35

125.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.61 BZD 13.23

-54.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.58 BZD 11.17

96.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.73 BZD 7.46

-27.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.45 BZD 2.91

-19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.09 BZD 4.19

-19.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.99 BZD 5.98

-46.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.99 BZD 5.98

-53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.38 BZD 4.77

-49.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$2.16 BZD 4.32

-68.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.86 BZD 1.71

-34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.99 BZD 7.98

16.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$10.09 BZD 20.18

74.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.79 BZD 3.57

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.26 BZD 6.51

1.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.97 BZD 3.94

-55.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$20.17 BZD 40.34

-4.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$4.09 BZD 8.18

-66.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$3.89 BZD 7.79

-65.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.87 BZD 3.75

-34.76%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$10.5K BZD 21.0K

103.65%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$209 BZD 417

-66.12%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$49.60 BZD 99.2

-71.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$54.1 BZD 108

-67.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$28.19 BZD 56.4

49.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$2.52 BZD 5.04

173.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$8.28 BZD 16.57

-28.50%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$63.7 BZD 127

384.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$681 BZD 1,362

2084.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$37.29 BZD 74.6

49.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$26.98 BZD 54.0

-3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$82.0 BZD 164

1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$88.3 BZD 177

-20.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$278 BZD 556

55.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$180 BZD 360

32.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$612 BZD 1,225

34.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$353 BZD 705

45.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$197 BZD 394

872.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,231 BZD 2,463

-52.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.83

-63.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Belize City: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $278 in Belize City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belize City pays 112% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $39.00 in Belize City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $253 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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 Belize City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Belize City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 112% lower in Belize City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $278 in Belize City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Belize City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $39.00 in Belize City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $861 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Belize City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Belize City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.