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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,023 in Nis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,501 in Nis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,979 in Nis, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Nis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Nis are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nis 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.23 RSD 729

-73.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$29.67 RSD 2,991

-37.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.99 RSD 1,007

-21.72%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.99 RSD 201

-2.01%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.82 RSD 184

-53.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.22 RSD 123

-71.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.54 RSD 256

-16.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.91 RSD 293

28.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.33 RSD 134

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.74 RSD 75.0

120.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.81 RSD 182

-37.02%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.44 RSD 246

-20.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.78 RSD 784

108.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.65 RSD 670

-53.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.70 RSD 1,179

-6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.19 RSD 119

131.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.72 RSD 174

-29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.46 RSD 147

10.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.78 RSD 180

-10.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.02 RSD 103

37.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.13 RSD 114

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.55 RSD 55.1

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.57 RSD 57.1

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.23 RSD 427

10.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.31 RSD 636

195.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.73 RSD 73.7

146.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.04 RSD 206

58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.80 RSD 80.7

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$25.95 RSD 2,616

-25.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.45 RSD 146

-2.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.45 RSD 45.78

186.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.82 RSD 687

14.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.75 RSD 176

-27.43%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$30.2K RSD 3.0M

-29.58%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$27.4K RSD 2.8M

-18.99%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$141 RSD 14.2K

-51.01%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$16.68 RSD 1,681

-15.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$22.71 RSD 2,289

-20.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$29.35 RSD 2,958

39.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$18.77 RSD 1,892

-62.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.80 RSD 484

23.33%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$239 RSD 24.1K

25.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,050 RSD 509.0K

196.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$90.2 RSD 9,090

-39.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$46.77 RSD 4,714

-42.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$93.6 RSD 9,435

-9.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$104 RSD 10.5K

-31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$401 RSD 40.4K

6.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$286 RSD 28.8K

-17.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$567 RSD 57.2K

41.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$412 RSD 41.6K

25.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,613 RSD 263.3K

-24.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,894 RSD 190.9K

-22.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$907 RSD 91.4K

-31.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

-32.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nis: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $401 in Nis. 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 47% higher in Nis, 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 $30.00 in Nis. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Nis – so Nis 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 Nis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nis costs about 18% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,535 in Nis. 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 $239 in Nis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Nis – 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 $1,023 in Nis, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,023 in Nis. 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, Nis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.