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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $729 in Berkane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,139 in Berkane, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,549 in Berkane, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 16% 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 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$4.03 MAD 37.27

-51.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$23.45 MAD 217

-21.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$6.69 MAD 61.8

17.64%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$1.73 MAD 16.01

12.72%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.63 MAD 5.78

34.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.35 MAD 3.27

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$3.81 MAD 35.19

-43.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$3.61 MAD 33.35

1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$0.90 MAD 8.27

84.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.53 MAD 4.94

194.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.72 MAD 15.89

-30.81%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.01 MAD 18.53

-1.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$9.88 MAD 91.3

64.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$5.97 MAD 55.1

-46.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$10.95 MAD 101

-1.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$1.33 MAD 12.31

99.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.34 MAD 12.38

-8.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$0.77 MAD 7.14

114.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$0.86 MAD 7.94

80.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.72 MAD 6.66

84.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.75 MAD 6.93

61.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.39 MAD 3.64

74.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.64 MAD 5.87

-10.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$4.13 MAD 38.11

13.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$8.27 MAD 76.4

105.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$2.70 MAD 24.98

-32.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.76 MAD 25.51

15.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.47 MAD 4.39

93.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$16.52 MAD 153

13.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.58 MAD 5.37

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.52 MAD 4.83

157.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$4.45 MAD 41.11

82.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.60 MAD 14.79

-20.00%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$37.9K MAD 350.0K

-42.39%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$29.7K MAD 274.7K

-24.66%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$35.47 MAD 328

98.70%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$10.83 MAD 100

29.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$39.42 MAD 364

-55.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$24.30 MAD 225

69.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$23.24 MAD 215

-70.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$6.75 MAD 62.4

-11.70%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$107 MAD 992

182.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$3,566 MAD 32.9K

319.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$38.24 MAD 353

43.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$40.99 MAD 379

-35.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$88.1 MAD 814

-2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$72.3 MAD 668

-3.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$282 MAD 2,603

52.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$177 MAD 1,637

34.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$499 MAD 4,610

62.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$304 MAD 2,804

67.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$1,479 MAD 13.7K

36.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$1,025 MAD 9,470

46.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$281 MAD 2,591

121.95%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Berkane: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $282 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 122% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Berkane. Groceries tell a different story – $242 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 16%, 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,093 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $23.00 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $729 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $729 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.