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 $729 in Berkane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,118 in Berkane, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,506 in Berkane, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% 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

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.21 MAD 38.90

-53.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$23.87 MAD 221

-21.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.61 MAD 61.1

19.82%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.66 MAD 15.31

15.06%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.63 MAD 5.87

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.32 MAD 2.99

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.75 MAD 34.72

-41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.68 MAD 34.00

3.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.83 MAD 7.65

97.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.49 MAD 4.57

230.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.75 MAD 16.16

-32.57%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.97 MAD 18.23

2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.88 MAD 91.4

60.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.21 MAD 57.5

-51.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.10 MAD 103

-2.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.38 MAD 12.77

89.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.31 MAD 12.09

-6.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.84 MAD 7.75

102.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.81 MAD 7.48

95.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.73 MAD 6.78

80.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.76 MAD 7.06

53.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.39 MAD 3.62

71.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.59 MAD 5.46

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.23 MAD 39.17

7.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.88 MAD 72.9

130.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.72 MAD 25.18

-32.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.83 MAD 26.15

14.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.47 MAD 4.33

89.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$16.46 MAD 152

17.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.63 MAD 5.83

114.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.51 MAD 4.72

164.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.48 MAD 41.39

84.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.54 MAD 14.22

-17.53%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$37.8K MAD 350.0K

-44.08%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.5K MAD 273.2K

-23.86%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$35.99 MAD 333

94.92%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$10.99 MAD 102

25.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$40.00 MAD 370

-56.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$24.14 MAD 223

72.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$22.79 MAD 211

-71.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.61 MAD 61.2

-12.56%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$105 MAD 976

190.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,557 MAD 32.9K

316.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$38.43 MAD 355

41.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$39.89 MAD 369

-34.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$85.7 MAD 793

-1.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$71.4 MAD 660

-2.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$279 MAD 2,578

52.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$174 MAD 1,609

36.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$497 MAD 4,600

65.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$300 MAD 2,774

71.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,809 MAD 16.7K

13.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$873 MAD 8,075

74.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$275 MAD 2,547

130.65%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Berkane: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $279 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 131% 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 – $243 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 17%, 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 $1,278 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 $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 $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 $852 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.