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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $918 in Bellville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,434 in Bellville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $1,951 in Bellville.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 7% less than in Bellville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bellville 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$10.90 R 179

-81.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$22.60 R 372

-17.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.98 R 82.0

57.83%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.83 R 30.09

10.93%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.16 R 19.11

-31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.89 R 14.64

-60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.11 R 34.69

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.48 R 40.84

47.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.08 R 17.70

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.87 R 14.29

80.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.46 R 24.01

-17.81%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.37 R 39.04

-16.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$4.41 R 72.7

268.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.46 R 73.4

-31.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.43 R 122

45.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.08 R 17.83

156.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.44 R 23.64

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.07 R 17.67

59.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.09 R 17.92

45.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.07 R 17.67

29.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.20 R 19.73

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.75 R 12.41

-12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.02 R 16.72

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.53 R 41.68

83.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$5.93 R 97.6

199.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.03 R 17.00

73.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.71 R 28.10

95.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.63 R 26.86

-44.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$20.49 R 337

-9.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.58 R 9.62

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.37 R 6.09

262.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.76 R 45.40

193.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.21 R 19.87

1.65%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.1K R 346.7K

1.77%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$19.5K R 320.4K

12.13%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$56.1 R 924

27.10%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$32.51 R 535

-56.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$28.11 R 463

-36.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$31.50 R 519

29.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.78 R 112

-15.63%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$82.8 R 1,364

272.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$5,367 R 88.4K

173.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$25.34 R 417

120.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$11.00 R 181

136.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$84.0 R 1,383

0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$50.0 R 823

41.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$359 R 5,917

17.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$336 R 5,525

-27.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$689 R 11.3K

15.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$701 R 11.5K

-27.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$885 R 14.6K

116.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$655 R 10.8K

123.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.77

-57.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bellville: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $359 in Bellville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $23.00 in Bellville. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $158, with Bellville cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bellville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Bellville. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $1,377 in Bellville to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $359 in Bellville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bellville pay roughly 55% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $23.00 in Bellville. 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 $852 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 Bellville 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 8% less than in Bellville. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.