Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bila Tserkva Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bila Tserkva

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $540 in Bila Tserkva.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $829 in Bila Tserkva.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $1,119 in Bila Tserkva.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 61% more expensive than Bila Tserkva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bila Tserkva 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.74 ₴213

-58.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$29.41 ₴1,321

-36.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.22 ₴235

48.47%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.95 ₴42.73

102.11%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.54 ₴24.16

46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.32 ₴14.59

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.60 ₴27.00

268.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$0.85 ₴38.06

330.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.99 ₴44.53

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.60 ₴26.76

171.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.19 ₴53.3

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.20 ₴54.1

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.82 ₴351

104.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.73 ₴168

-18.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$4.22 ₴190

157.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.76 ₴34.22

263.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.30 ₴58.3

-9.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.22 ₴54.9

34.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.32 ₴59.3

15.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.39 ₴17.72

253.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.50 ₴22.63

138.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.57 ₴25.63

22.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.47 ₴21.15

19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.27 ₴102

101.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$3.26 ₴147

407.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.65 ₴29.21

181.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$0.88 ₴39.68

263.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.23 ₴10.31

282.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.79 ₴80.6

-24.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.30 ₴13.62

346.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.83 ₴127

177.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.34 ₴60.2

-8.21%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$31.3K ₴1.4M

-30.82%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$24.1K ₴1.1M

-6.36%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$56.1 ₴2,519

25.81%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$5.48 ₴246

149.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$3.72 ₴167

369.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$24.87 ₴1,117

66.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$9.86 ₴443

-29.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.46 ₴155

66.76%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$293 ₴13.2K

4.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,426 ₴153.9K

326.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$42.19 ₴1,895

32.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$12.12 ₴544

116.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$77.7 ₴3,492

10.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$84.5 ₴3,794

-14.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$158 ₴7,080

172.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$131 ₴5,863

82.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$204 ₴9,150

301.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$158 ₴7,093

223.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,141 ₴51.3K

73.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$749 ₴33.7K

98.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$444 ₴19.9K

39.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bila Tserkva: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $158 in Bila Tserkva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $29.00 in Bila Tserkva. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $125, with Bila Tserkva cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bila Tserkva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Bila Tserkva differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $540 including rent). Bila Tserkva is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chiang Mai pays 39% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $158 in Bila Tserkva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 93% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $869 per month in Chiang Mai versus $540 in Bila Tserkva – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bila Tserkva gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bila Tserkva 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 Bila Tserkva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.