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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,001 in Mostar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,475 in Mostar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,949 in Mostar, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 13% cheaper than Mostar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mostar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Mostar 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.07 BAM 11.88

-72.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$35.96 BAM 60.4

-48.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.45 BAM 9.16

43.49%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.59 BAM 2.68

22.64%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.87 BAM 3.14

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.16 BAM 1.95

-69.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.10 BAM 3.53

1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.12 BAM 3.56

75.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.36 BAM 2.28

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.28 BAM 2.16

27.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.63 BAM 2.73

-30.06%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.79 BAM 4.68

-30.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.26 BAM 15.57

75.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.52 BAM 12.64

-58.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.93 BAM 20.05

-8.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.28 BAM 2.15

114.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.66 BAM 2.78

-27.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.86 BAM 3.12

-12.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.73 BAM 2.90

-8.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.78 BAM 1.31

79.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.74 BAM 1.25

58.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.98 BAM 1.65

-32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.73 BAM 1.23

-27.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.61 BAM 6.07

29.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.12 BAM 6.93

352.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.70 BAM 1.18

157.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.13 BAM 1.90

185.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.15 BAM 1.93

-21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$34.06 BAM 57.2

-43.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.45 BAM 2.43

-2.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.90 BAM 1.52

43.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.07 BAM 15.23

-13.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.43 BAM 2.40

-11.19%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$23.4K BAM 39.3K

-8.96%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.1K BAM 43.9K

-14.91%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$125 BAM 210

-44.81%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$18.89 BAM 31.74

-25.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$23.79 BAM 39.97

-24.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$34.88 BAM 58.6

17.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$11.97 BAM 20.11

-41.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.82 BAM 8.10

22.82%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$152 BAM 256

96.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,216 BAM 5,403

364.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$74.8 BAM 126

-26.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$34.58 BAM 58.1

-22.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$90.9 BAM 153

-6.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$117 BAM 196

-39.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$263 BAM 443

62.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$270 BAM 454

-12.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$443 BAM 744

81.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$311 BAM 523

65.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,392 BAM 4,019

-17.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,624 BAM 2,728

-9.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$890 BAM 1,496

-30.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

20.77%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mostar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $263 in Mostar. 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 44% higher in Mostar, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Mostar. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $208 in Mostar – so Mostar 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 Mostar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mostar costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,502 in Mostar. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $152 in Mostar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Mostar – 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $1,001 in Mostar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,001 in Mostar. 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, Mostar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.