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 $1,096 in Cacak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,641 in Cacak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $2,186 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

$1.96 ฿63.6

$7.35 RSD 737

-73.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$38.84 RSD 3,894

-51.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$10.91 RSD 1,093

-27.41%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$1.55 RSD 155

23.23%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$2.12 RSD 213

-60.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$1.44 RSD 144

-75.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$2.52 RSD 253

-12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.64 RSD 265

43.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.30 RSD 130

26.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.76 RSD 76.0

113.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$2.81 RSD 282

-58.01%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$2.70 RSD 270

-25.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$3.93 RSD 394

304.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$6.82 RSD 684

-55.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$12.82 RSD 1,286

-15.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$1.30 RSD 130

100.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.90 RSD 191

-35.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.56 RSD 156

8.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$2.56 RSD 257

-38.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$1.01 RSD 101

30.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$0.94 RSD 94.4

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.81 RSD 80.8

-17.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.57 RSD 56.9

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$4.56 RSD 457

-0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$5.58 RSD 559

226.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$0.85 RSD 85.3

115.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.20 RSD 221

46.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.99 RSD 99.0

-10.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$27.80 RSD 2,787

-30.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$1.99 RSD 199

-32.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.69 RSD 69.0

95.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$9.32 RSD 934

-11.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.71 RSD 172

-25.73%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$27.4K RSD 2.8M

-22.88%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$28.6K RSD 2.9M

-21.28%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$146 RSD 14.7K

-52.05%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$19.67 RSD 1,973

-29.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$19.90 RSD 1,996

-11.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$30.90 RSD 3,098

34.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

$16.48 RSD 1,652

-59.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$6.25 RSD 627

-7.52%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$339 RSD 34.0K

-9.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$7,268 RSD 728.7K

103.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$107 RSD 10.7K

-49.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$46.26 RSD 4,638

-43.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$125 RSD 12.6K

-32.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$141 RSD 14.1K

-50.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$373 RSD 37.4K

13.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$294 RSD 29.4K

-18.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$574 RSD 57.6K

43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$416 RSD 41.7K

23.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$2,139 RSD 214.4K

-4.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$1,578 RSD 158.2K

-3.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$757 RSD 75.9K

-16.09%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cacak: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $373 in Cacak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cacak pays 19% 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 $243 vs $199, 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 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cacak earns 19% less. 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $373 in Cacak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $339 in Cacak. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Cacak pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,096 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 29% less than in Cacak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.