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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,092 in Cacak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,625 in Cacak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $2,159 in Cacak.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 22% less than in Cacak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Cacak 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$7.47 RSD 767

-72.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$39.47 RSD 4,052

-52.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$10.73 RSD 1,101

-26.75%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$1.63 RSD 167

24.54%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$2.13 RSD 219

-62.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$1.44 RSD 148

-75.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.64 RSD 271

-18.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.54 RSD 261

44.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.26 RSD 130

37.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.76 RSD 78.4

106.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$2.81 RSD 288

-57.30%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.56 RSD 263

-23.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$3.99 RSD 410

306.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.79 RSD 697

-54.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$12.52 RSD 1,285

-13.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.25 RSD 128

121.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.85 RSD 190

-36.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.56 RSD 160

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$2.43 RSD 249

-34.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.93 RSD 95.8

49.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.88 RSD 89.9

31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.77 RSD 78.5

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.61 RSD 62.1

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.34 RSD 445

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$5.42 RSD 556

228.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$0.89 RSD 91.4

101.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.21 RSD 227

51.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.98 RSD 100

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$28.11 RSD 2,886

-33.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$1.95 RSD 200

-27.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.64 RSD 66.1

109.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$9.55 RSD 980

-15.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.68 RSD 173

-26.79%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$27.5K RSD 2.8M

-22.04%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$28.2K RSD 2.9M

-22.63%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$146 RSD 15.0K

-51.18%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$19.42 RSD 1,994

-27.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$19.53 RSD 2,005

-8.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$30.16 RSD 3,096

35.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$16.23 RSD 1,666

-57.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.32 RSD 649

-9.49%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$341 RSD 35.0K

-9.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$7,344 RSD 753.9K

99.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$109 RSD 11.2K

-48.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$46.54 RSD 4,777

-44.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$125 RSD 12.8K

-32.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$135 RSD 13.9K

-47.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$380 RSD 39.0K

11.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$291 RSD 29.9K

-16.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$555 RSD 57.0K

43.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$412 RSD 42.3K

22.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$2,177 RSD 223.5K

-11.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$1,629 RSD 167.2K

-10.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$752 RSD 77.2K

-20.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.31

-31.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cacak: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $380 in Cacak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cacak pays 26% 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 $39.00 in Cacak. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $196, with Cacak 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 Cacak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Cacak. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $380 in Cacak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $341 in Cacak. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Cacak pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,092 in Cacak, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cacak. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Cacak 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Cacak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.