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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,147 in Indjija, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,675 in Indjija, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,203 in Indjija, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than Indjija, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Indjija are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Indjija 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$9.11 RSD 932

-78.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$42.51 RSD 4,348

-56.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$9.60 RSD 982

-22.08%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.08 RSD 213

-2.88%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$2.21 RSD 226

-61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.37 RSD 140

-73.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.99 RSD 306

-28.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.48 RSD 356

3.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.37 RSD 140

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.62 RSD 63.2

153.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.98 RSD 203

-39.90%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.66 RSD 272

-27.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$9.13 RSD 935

77.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.62 RSD 677

-54.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$12.08 RSD 1,236

-9.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.31 RSD 134

106.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.90 RSD 194

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.57 RSD 160

7.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.33 RSD 238

-31.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.94 RSD 96.2

46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.89 RSD 90.6

34.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.74 RSD 76.2

-9.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.71 RSD 72.2

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.17 RSD 427

11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.91 RSD 604

198.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.91 RSD 93.5

104.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.15 RSD 220

53.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.93 RSD 95.5

-5.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$28.24 RSD 2,889

-31.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.52 RSD 156

-10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.46 RSD 46.75

191.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.06 RSD 518

62.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.91 RSD 195

-36.13%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$31.3K RSD 3.2M

-31.67%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$26.9K RSD 2.8M

-16.27%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$174 RSD 17.8K

-59.40%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$21.25 RSD 2,173

-33.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$32.64 RSD 3,339

-46.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$30.55 RSD 3,126

37.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$16.22 RSD 1,659

-57.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.32 RSD 646

-6.33%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$183 RSD 18.8K

68.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,885 RSD 397.5K

282.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$89.4 RSD 9,149

-37.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$46.68 RSD 4,775

-44.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$117 RSD 11.9K

-28.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$120 RSD 12.3K

-41.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$369 RSD 37.7K

17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$292 RSD 29.9K

-18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$573 RSD 58.6K

43.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$408 RSD 41.7K

25.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,112 RSD 216.1K

-9.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,522 RSD 155.7K

-3.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$552 RSD 56.4K

5.03%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Indjija: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $369 in Indjija. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Indjija. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $208 in Indjija – so Indjija wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Indjija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Indjija costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,720 in Indjija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $183 in Indjija. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Indjija – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,147 in Indjija, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,147 in Indjija. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Indjija makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.