🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $882 in Bellville.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,417 in Bellville.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $1,951 in Bellville.
🙂Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 3% less than in Bellville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai36% lower, Bellville34% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Bellville
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿63.6
$10.83R 179
-81.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿611
$22.51R 373
-16.44%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿258
$5.18R 85.7
52.90%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.2
$1.76R 29.14
8.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.25
$1.15R 19.11
-26.96%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.44
$0.82R 13.61
-57.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿71.7
$2.12R 35.09
4.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$2.58R 42.74
47.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Bellville
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.2
$1.05R 17.36
56.19%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿52.8
$0.87R 14.44
86.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.40
$1.52R 25.22
-22.37%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.4
$2.47R 40.92
-18.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿517
$4.23R 70.0
275.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.0
$4.55R 75.4
-33.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿350
$7.13R 118
51.05%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.0
$1.07R 17.72
143.93%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.65
$1.44R 23.82
-15.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.4
$1.08R 17.90
57.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.2
$1.09R 18.02
44.95%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿42.89
$1.08R 17.86
22.22%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.01
$1.20R 19.85
-2.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.85
$0.75R 12.46
-10.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.21
$0.95R 15.65
-41.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿147
$2.46R 40.73
84.15%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿592
$3.60R 59.5
405.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿59.6
$1.03R 17.08
77.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿105
$1.70R 28.14
90.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Bellville
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿28.83
$1.69R 27.94
-47.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿630
$20.52R 340
-5.56%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿43.95
$0.58R 9.61
132.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿43.79
$0.39R 6.48
246.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿268
$2.73R 45.13
202.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.40
$1.20R 19.87
5.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿687.8K
$20.9KR 345.8K
1.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿731.0K
$19.3KR 319.8K
16.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Bellville
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,281
$56.9R 941
23.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿448
$33.15R 549
-58.46%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿572
$28.38R 470
-37.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Bellville
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,352
$30.52R 505
36.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿215
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿188
$6.74R 112
-14.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Bellville
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿9,953
$84.2R 1,393
263.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿482.0K
$5,206R 86.2K
184.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Bellville
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,768
$25.61R 424
112.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿850
$11.24R 186
132.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,748
$84.4R 1,397
0.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,257
$50.3R 833
37.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Bellville
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.8K
$368R 6,091
15.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,743
$335R 5,547
-28.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿26.8K
$684R 11.3K
20.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.7K
$699R 11.6K
-26.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿66.6K
$771R 12.8K
165.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.5K
$687R 11.4K
121.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Bellville
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.6K
$1,108R 18.3K
-42.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
11.77
-57.52%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Bellville: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $368 in Bellville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bellville pays 74% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $23.00 in Bellville. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $152, with Bellville cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs Bellville: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Bellville?
Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 3% 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.
Are salaries higher in Chiang Mai or Bellville?
On paper, Bellville earns 74% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chiang Mai vs Bellville?
Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $368 in Bellville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Bellville?
Shoppers in Bellville pay roughly 61% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai vs Bellville?
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.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or Bellville?
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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Bellville?
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.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Bellville?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Bellville. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado