Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Beveren

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $2,147 in Beveren, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Beveren, Belgium
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Beveren
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,147
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Beveren

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Beveren actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai versus $2,147 in Beveren.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Beveren $2,147

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Chiang Mai versus $3,188 in Beveren.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Beveren $3,188

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,999 in Chiang Mai versus $4,228 in Beveren.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Beveren $4,228

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 56% less than in Beveren, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Beveren is 59% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Beveren
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿72.0
$23.46 €20.98
-90.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿628
$97.8 €87.5
-80.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿189
$13.15 €11.76
-57.41%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿56.1
$4.30 €3.85
-61.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.83
$2.98 €2.66
-78.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.29
$2.93 €2.62
-89.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿78.4
$5.56 €4.97
-58.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿124
$4.97 €4.45
-26.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Beveren
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿68.0
$1.40 €1.25
44.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.51
$2.84 €2.54
-50.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.96
$2.32 €2.07
-40.09%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.9
$3.93 €3.52
-39.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿557
$16.64 €14.88
-0.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿90.1
$12.07 €10.79
-77.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿304
$19.36 €17.31
-53.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.9
$2.93 €2.62
-18.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿35.13
$2.48 €2.22
-58.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$2.23 €1.99
-25.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.6
$3.42 €3.06
-54.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.76
$2.29 €2.05
-45.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.66
$1.66 €1.48
-34.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.70
$1.51 €1.35
-49.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.35
$1.11 €0.99
-54.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿139
$12.71 €11.37
-67.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿605
$9.01 €8.06
99.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.8
$1.89 €1.69
-14.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿95.2
$2.07 €1.86
36.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Beveren
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.53
$3.16 €2.82
-70.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,785
$55.6 €49.73
-4.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.70
$10.09 €9.02
-88.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.79
$2.41 €2.16
-92.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿61.1
$25.16 €22.50
-92.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.69
$2.05 €1.83
-28.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿708.9K
$35.6K €31.9K
-41.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿894.6K
$36.9K €33.0K
-28.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Beveren
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,111
$209 €187
-70.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿392
$18.38 €16.44
-36.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿685
$52.0 €46.46
-60.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Beveren
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,278
$36.27 €32.43
4.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿125
$19.36 €17.31
-80.89%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿220
$14.58 €13.04
-55.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Beveren
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.5K
$700 €626
3.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿559.2K
$16.5K €14.7K
0.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Beveren
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,807
$98.3 €87.9
-45.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿837
$54.2 €48.44
-54.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,050
$105 €93.7
-13.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,428
$179 €160
-59.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Beveren
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.2K
$897 €802
-46.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.5K
$823 €736
-62.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.7K
$1,418 €1,268
-25.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.2K
$1,149 €1,028
-42.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿81.6K
$5,603 €5,010
-56.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿54.3K
$3,132 €2,800
-48.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Beveren
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿20.1K
$1,821 €1,629
-67.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.52
58.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Beveren: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Beveren
$823 166% $513
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Beveren
$352 48.9% $116
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Beveren
$196 81.1% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Beveren
$280 196% $185
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Beveren
$340 344% $264
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Beveren
$90 54.1% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Beveren
$65 28.5% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Chiang Mai and $897 in Beveren. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beveren pays about 3.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $98 in Beveren for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $352 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇧🇪 Beveren
🕒 Local time
20:35 8:35 PM
14:35 2:35 PM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
20,078
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Beveren 8,710 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Beveren

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Beveren: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiang Mai cheaper than Beveren?
Chiang Mai is about 56% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Chiang Mai or Beveren?
On paper, salaries run 67% lower in Chiang Mai. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Chiang Mai and Beveren?
Rent for a central apartment: $481 in Chiang Mai versus $897 in Beveren. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Chiang Mai or in Beveren?
Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19 versus $98 in Beveren. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Chiang Mai and in Beveren?
All in, you’ll spend $935 per month in Chiang Mai versus $2,147 in Beveren – Chiang Mai is about 56% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Chiang Mai or in Beveren?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Chiang Mai or in Beveren?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or Beveren?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Beveren are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Beveren. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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