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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $931 in Sabac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,397 in Sabac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,863 in Sabac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 7% cheaper than Sabac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Sabac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sabac 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.74 RSD 879

-77.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$26.81 RSD 2,696

-30.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.90 RSD 995

-21.01%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.46 RSD 147

33.56%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.81 RSD 182

-53.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.21 RSD 121

-71.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.30 RSD 232

-7.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.01 RSD 202

85.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.37 RSD 138

24.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.64 RSD 64.7

154.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.97 RSD 198

-42.13%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.20 RSD 222

-12.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.31 RSD 735

121.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.70 RSD 674

-53.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.77 RSD 1,083

1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.35 RSD 136

103.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.87 RSD 188

-35.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.70 RSD 171

-4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.24 RSD 226

-29.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.12 RSD 113

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.20 RSD 120

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.05 RSD 105

-37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.45 RSD 45.06

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.98 RSD 400

17.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.27 RSD 630

197.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.70 RSD 70.8

157.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.10 RSD 211

53.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.98 RSD 98.2

-8.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.03 RSD 104

36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.46 RSD 45.85

180.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.00 RSD 503

56.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.82 RSD 183

-30.22%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

-30.39%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.8K RSD 2.7M

-17.09%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$158 RSD 15.9K

-56.21%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$19.47 RSD 1,958

-27.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$24.25 RSD 2,439

-25.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$23.52 RSD 2,366

74.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$11.76 RSD 1,183

-40.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.57 RSD 661

-9.89%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$184 RSD 18.5K

62.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,977 RSD 400.0K

275.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$62.5 RSD 6,288

-12.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$56.4 RSD 5,669

-52.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$120 RSD 12.0K

-29.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$122 RSD 12.3K

-42.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$232 RSD 23.4K

84.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$178 RSD 17.9K

33.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$355 RSD 35.7K

126.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$267 RSD 26.8K

93.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,917 RSD 192.8K

2.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,562 RSD 157.1K

-5.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$997 RSD 100.2K

-38.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sabac: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $232 in Sabac. 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 61% higher in Sabac, 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 $27.00 in Sabac. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $196 in Sabac – so Sabac 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 Sabac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sabac costs about 7% 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 $1,397 in Sabac. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Sabac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Sabac – 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 $931 in Sabac, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $931 in Sabac. 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, Sabac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.