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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,044 in Nis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,519 in Nis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,994 in Nis, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 9% cheaper than Nis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Nis are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Nis 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$7.70 RSD 776

-72.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$35.00 RSD 3,531

-43.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$9.87 RSD 996

-42.76%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$2.00 RSD 202

-9.50%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$2.35 RSD 237

-69.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$1.89 RSD 191

-83.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$3.75 RSD 379

-40.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.51 RSD 455

-19.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.20 RSD 121

63.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$0.72 RSD 72.6

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.75 RSD 176

-23.43%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.42 RSD 244

-6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$8.00 RSD 807

103.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$5.98 RSD 603

-50.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$10.97 RSD 1,107

-9.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.11 RSD 112

131.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.76 RSD 178

-39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.50 RSD 152

7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$2.09 RSD 211

-27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.79 RSD 79.6

60.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.80 RSD 80.5

33.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.65 RSD 65.6

10.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.63 RSD 63.3

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$4.67 RSD 471

-10.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$5.57 RSD 562

220.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$0.71 RSD 71.9

138.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$1.29 RSD 130

120.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$1.91 RSD 193

-35.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.65 RSD 65.6

-10.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$8.39 RSD 847

-71.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.84 RSD 185

-23.37%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$31.5K RSD 3.2M

-31.97%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$25.0K RSD 2.5M

9.18%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$164 RSD 16.6K

-61.26%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$20.57 RSD 2,075

-37.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$23.38 RSD 2,359

-13.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$30.95 RSD 3,123

25.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$16.37 RSD 1,652

-75.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$5.08 RSD 513

32.68%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$257 RSD 25.9K

202.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$5,099 RSD 514.5K

186.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$90.0 RSD 9,082

-39.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$39.89 RSD 4,025

-36.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$104 RSD 10.5K

-9.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$115 RSD 11.6K

-36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$395 RSD 39.8K

24.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$286 RSD 28.8K

1.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$620 RSD 62.6K

44.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$431 RSD 43.5K

19.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$2,592 RSD 261.5K

-24.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$1,926 RSD 194.3K

-23.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$952 RSD 96.0K

-36.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.11

9.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Nis: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $395 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 58% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Nis. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $187 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 10% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,566 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Nis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Nis – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Nis at $1,044. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nis it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,044 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.