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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,179 in Bellville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,810 in Bellville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,440 in Bellville.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 21% less than in Bellville, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bellville 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$12.67 R 206

-83.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$24.95 R 405

-21.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.05 R 98.2

-6.28%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.04 R 33.07

-11.27%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.42 R 23.12

-45.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.05 R 17.05

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.30 R 37.32

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.69 R 59.9

2.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.36 R 22.14

50.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.26 R 20.51

19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$2.26 R 36.69

-38.05%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.06 R 49.77

-26.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.01 R 146

79.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$7.07 R 115

-58.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$9.86 R 160

-4.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.90 R 30.89

41.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$2.03 R 32.95

-46.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.81 R 29.39

-10.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.22 R 36.03

-34.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.54 R 25.06

-16.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.53 R 24.88

-30.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.39 R 22.55

-48.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$1.19 R 19.26

-55.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.66 R 59.5

15.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$6.15 R 99.9

197.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.39 R 22.65

17.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.19 R 35.53

32.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$1.58 R 25.69

-44.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.66 R 10.66

77.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.52 R 24.67

-61.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$5.05 R 82.1

-52.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.52 R 24.65

-4.61%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$37.1K R 602.7K

-43.36%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$33.3K R 540.3K

-20.54%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$121 R 1,971

-47.53%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$31.16 R 506

-58.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$40.04 R 651

-48.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$33.14 R 538

17.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$9.51 R 154

-30.81%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$273 R 4,443

186.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$6,567 R 106.7K

123.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$58.4 R 948

-5.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$33.19 R 539

-25.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$121 R 1,958

-21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$110 R 1,784

-32.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$433 R 7,041

13.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$382 R 6,211

-24.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$800 R 13.0K

11.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$771 R 12.5K

-32.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$890 R 14.5K

121.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$682 R 11.1K

111.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.02

-49.46%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bellville: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $433 in Bellville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $25.00 in Bellville. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $231, 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 26% 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 $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $1,769 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $433 in Bellville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bellville pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,179 in Bellville – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,179 in Bellville, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bellville. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $932 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 26% less than in Bellville. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.