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: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $1,095 in Cacak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,655 in Cacak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $2,214 in Cacak.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 13% less than in Cacak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cacak 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$7.21 RSD 727

-70.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$38.93 RSD 3,924

-49.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$11.69 RSD 1,178

-50.47%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.62 RSD 163

12.96%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$2.45 RSD 247

-68.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.45 RSD 146

-78.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.55 RSD 257

-8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.66 RSD 268

39.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.28 RSD 129

58.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.75 RSD 75.7

113.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.78 RSD 281

-48.92%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.73 RSD 275

-20.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$3.94 RSD 397

303.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$7.56 RSD 762

-59.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$14.93 RSD 1,505

-33.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.32 RSD 133

99.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.01 RSD 202

-45.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.68 RSD 170

-2.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.66 RSD 268

-42.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.04 RSD 105

19.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.70 RSD 70.8

61.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.03 RSD 104

-28.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.61 RSD 61.5

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$4.81 RSD 485

-11.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.25 RSD 730

147.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$0.90 RSD 91.2

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.33 RSD 235

24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.52 RSD 51.9

80.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$17.04 RSD 1,717

224.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.97 RSD 198

-37.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.89 RSD 90.0

-40.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$10.82 RSD 1,091

-77.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.77 RSD 179

-18.64%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$27.6K RSD 2.8M

-23.35%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$26.5K RSD 2.7M

2.97%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$150 RSD 15.2K

-56.84%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$19.71 RSD 1,986

-32.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$19.88 RSD 2,004

4.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$30.82 RSD 3,107

31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$15.34 RSD 1,546

-74.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.23 RSD 729

-7.19%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$380 RSD 38.3K

106.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,822 RSD 788.4K

93.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$122 RSD 12.3K

-53.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$45.12 RSD 4,548

-44.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$145 RSD 14.7K

-36.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$142 RSD 14.3K

-47.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$326 RSD 32.8K

48.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$298 RSD 30.0K

-3.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$463 RSD 46.6K

96.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$385 RSD 38.8K

37.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$2,099 RSD 211.5K

-5.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,578 RSD 159.0K

-8.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$765 RSD 77.1K

-20.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.23

6.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cacak: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $326 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $39.00 in Cacak. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $215, 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. The 15% 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: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $326 in Cacak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $380 in Cacak. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Cacak pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $1,095 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 15% less than in Cacak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.