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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $836 in Bertioga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,293 in Bertioga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,750 in Bertioga.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bertioga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bertioga 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.4

$5.69 R$29.16

-63.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$17.82 R$91.3

11.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$8.18 R$41.95

-29.22%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.5

$2.26 R$11.57

-19.03%

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

$0.78 ฿25.63

$1.23 R$6.32

-36.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.38

$0.84 R$4.29

-63.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.3

$2.29 R$11.75

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.79 R$19.43

-2.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.85 R$4.36

138.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$1.30 R$6.68

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.80

$1.28 R$6.57

10.94%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.0

$1.27 R$6.53

71.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$9.62 R$49.31

65.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.48 R$17.84

-11.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.91 R$40.58

24.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.9

$2.39 R$12.26

10.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.23

$0.89 R$4.59

23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$0.96 R$4.95

69.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.93 R$4.77

64.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.16

$1.00 R$5.13

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.40

$0.75 R$3.85

50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.41

$0.57 R$2.90

29.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.50

$0.61 R$3.12

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$2.48 R$12.71

72.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$5.00 R$25.62

259.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$1.47 R$7.55

15.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.48 R$12.71

16.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

$1.00 R$5.15

-6.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

$48.81 R$250

13.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

$1.18 R$6.07

4.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$0.70 R$3.61

-24.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

$8.43 R$43.21

-71.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.60

$1.25 R$6.42

15.20%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

$23.6K R$121.1K

-10.30%

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

$32.1K R$164.6K

-14.94%

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

$64.9 ฿2,147

$65.2 R$334

-0.46%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$9.50 R$48.69

40.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿689

$17.11 R$87.7

21.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

$25.35 R$130

59.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$26.77 R$137

-85.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.67 R$39.34

-12.52%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$77.3 R$396

918.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

$9,759 R$50.0K

54.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

$57.9 R$297

-2.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

$48.30 R$248

-48.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,066

$58.1 R$298

59.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

$82.8 R$425

-9.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$346 R$1,772

39.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

$237 R$1,216

21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$644 R$3,299

41.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$460 R$2,358

15.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

$1,761 R$9,027

12.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

$1,068 R$5,474

35.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.81

-48.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bertioga: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $346 in Bertioga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $18.00 in Bertioga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $164 per month, with Bertioga cheaper across the board.

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 Bertioga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bertioga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,426 in Chiang Mai and $1,255 in Bertioga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $346 in Bertioga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bertioga – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $836 in Bertioga versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bertioga but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bertioga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bertioga 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 Bertioga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.