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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $963 in Sabac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,435 in Sabac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,908 in Sabac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Sabac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Sabac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sabac 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$9.09 RSD 930

-78.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$26.46 RSD 2,707

-30.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$9.89 RSD 1,012

-24.37%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.52 RSD 155

32.89%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.76 RSD 180

-51.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.15 RSD 117

-68.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.42 RSD 247

-11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.11 RSD 216

70.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.39 RSD 142

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.61 RSD 62.0

157.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$2.00 RSD 205

-40.50%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.17 RSD 222

-10.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.31 RSD 748

121.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.63 RSD 678

-54.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.00 RSD 1,125

-0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.29 RSD 132

110.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.90 RSD 195

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.71 RSD 175

-1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.26 RSD 231

-29.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.11 RSD 114

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.27 RSD 129

-5.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.10 RSD 113

-39.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.45 RSD 45.73

24.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.08 RSD 418

13.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.94 RSD 608

196.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.67 RSD 68.4

177.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.11 RSD 216

56.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.98 RSD 101

-10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$25.87 RSD 2,647

-25.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.08 RSD 111

25.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.42 RSD 43.34

219.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.95 RSD 507

65.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.81 RSD 186

-32.60%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

-30.77%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$27.1K RSD 2.8M

-16.75%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$155 RSD 15.9K

-54.51%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$19.51 RSD 1,996

-28.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$24.31 RSD 2,487

-28.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$23.62 RSD 2,416

78.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$11.68 RSD 1,195

-41.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.53 RSD 668

-9.34%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$182 RSD 18.6K

69.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,019 RSD 411.2K

270.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$63.3 RSD 6,479

-11.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$56.7 RSD 5,795

-53.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$117 RSD 12.0K

-29.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$122 RSD 12.5K

-42.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$234 RSD 23.9K

84.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$176 RSD 18.0K

35.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$352 RSD 36.0K

133.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$267 RSD 27.3K

91.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,876 RSD 191.9K

2.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,533 RSD 156.8K

-4.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$966 RSD 98.8K

-40.01%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sabac: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $234 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 67% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Sabac. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 12% 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 $1,444 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.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $182 in Sabac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $963 in Sabac, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $963 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.