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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $847 in Chiang Mai versus $1,540 in Berane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,332 in Chiang Mai versus $2,384 in Berane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,816 in Chiang Mai versus $3,228 in Berane.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 45% less than in Berane, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 37% below, Berane is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$16.07 €14.12

-87.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$67.9 €59.7

-72.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$11.54 €10.15

-32.06%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$2.93 €2.58

-34.13%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$2.24 €1.97

-62.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$1.43 €1.26

-75.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$3.38 €2.97

-34.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$3.84 €3.38

-1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.39 €1.22

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$1.11 €0.97

39.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$2.42 €2.13

-51.24%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$3.14 €2.76

-35.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$9.02 €7.93

79.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$8.50 €7.47

-64.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$11.81 €10.38

-8.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$1.31 €1.15

104.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$1.78 €1.57

-31.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$1.68 €1.48

-2.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$2.78 €2.45

-44.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$1.08 €0.95

24.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$1.25 €1.10

-3.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$1.79 €1.57

-60.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$1.18 €1.03

-55.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$4.35 €3.82

7.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$4.44 €3.90

298.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.29 €1.14

43.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.76 €1.54

82.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

$1.46 €1.29

-39.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$37.48 €32.95

-49.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$1.13 €1.00

24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$1.01 €0.89

27.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$17.59 €15.46

-55.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.79 €1.58

-27.93%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$29.7K €26.1K

-26.67%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$26.8K €23.5K

-18.99%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$160 €141

-56.28%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$18.60 €16.35

-23.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$33.62 €29.55

-48.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$45.10 €39.64

-7.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$14.09 €12.38

-51.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$5.74 €5.05

0.70%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$420 €369

-28.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$10.1K €8,921

43.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$114 €99.9

-51.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$48.56 €42.69

-45.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$110 €97.0

-23.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$202 €178

-65.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$717 €631

-40.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$529 €465

-55.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$1,242 €1,092

-35.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$934 €821

-44.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$4,224 €3,714

-54.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$2,799 €2,460

-48.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$566 €498

3.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

-15.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Berane: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Chiang Mai and $717 in Berane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $68.0 in Berane. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $236, with Berane 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 Berane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $425 in Chiang Mai versus $717 in Berane. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $847 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,540 in Berane – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 100% less than in Berane. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $847 in Chiang Mai versus $1,540 in Berane, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Berane. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Berane, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Berane 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 82% less than in Berane. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.