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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $724 in Berkane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,128 in Berkane, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,532 in Berkane, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Berkane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Berkane are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Berkane 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.16 MAD 38.76

-50.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$23.56 MAD 220

-20.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.69 MAD 62.4

17.49%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.66 MAD 15.49

22.29%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.58 MAD 5.43

37.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.33 MAD 3.05

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.93 MAD 36.68

-45.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.58 MAD 33.35

2.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.87 MAD 8.14

98.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.49 MAD 4.62

220.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.78 MAD 16.59

-32.58%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.94 MAD 18.09

1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.17 MAD 94.8

59.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.95 MAD 55.4

-48.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.23 MAD 105

-3.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.35 MAD 12.61

105.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.34 MAD 12.52

-12.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.77 MAD 7.17

122.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.85 MAD 7.93

87.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.68 MAD 6.31

104.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.76 MAD 7.09

52.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.42 MAD 3.94

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.58 MAD 5.41

-10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.13 MAD 38.54

12.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.09 MAD 75.4

119.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.73 MAD 25.41

-34.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.73 MAD 25.49

22.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.48 MAD 4.43

89.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$16.20 MAD 151

15.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.59 MAD 5.48

138.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.52 MAD 4.84

157.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$4.51 MAD 42.02

79.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.52 MAD 14.21

-19.08%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$37.4K MAD 348.6K

-42.67%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$29.6K MAD 275.7K

-26.19%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$36.15 MAD 337

97.32%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$11.10 MAD 104

26.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$39.77 MAD 371

-54.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$24.86 MAD 232

64.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$23.16 MAD 216

-70.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.70 MAD 62.5

-14.63%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$107 MAD 999

187.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,514 MAD 32.8K

317.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$39.25 MAD 366

42.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$40.38 MAD 377

-35.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$86.1 MAD 803

-1.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$70.2 MAD 655

1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$281 MAD 2,619

50.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$174 MAD 1,619

39.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$505 MAD 4,713

57.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$304 MAD 2,838

66.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,272 MAD 11.9K

50.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$986 MAD 9,193

48.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$281 MAD 2,621

111.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

4.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Berkane: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $281 in Berkane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 112% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Berkane. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $192 in Berkane – so Berkane wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Berkane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,086 in Berkane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Berkane, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Berkane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $724 in Berkane. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $724 in Berkane, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Berkane – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Berkane. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.