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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,108 in Subotica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,670 in Subotica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,232 in Subotica, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Subotica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Subotica are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Subotica 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.6

$9.35 RSD 974

-77.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿652

$33.75 RSD 3,517

-42.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$11.18 RSD 1,165

-51.07%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.6

$1.97 RSD 205

-14.72%

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

$0.66 ฿22.18

$1.83 RSD 191

-63.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.56

$1.71 RSD 178

-80.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.3

$2.46 RSD 256

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$2.87 RSD 299

29.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.2

$1.41 RSD 146

46.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.95

$1.10 RSD 115

32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.25

$2.14 RSD 223

-36.92%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.2

$3.07 RSD 320

-26.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿548

$12.08 RSD 1,258

35.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.6

$6.60 RSD 688

-59.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿309

$12.53 RSD 1,305

-26.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.4

$1.39 RSD 145

71.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.78

$1.90 RSD 198

-45.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.43 RSD 149

11.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.54

$2.21 RSD 230

-34.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.75

$1.03 RSD 108

26.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.43

$0.59 RSD 61.6

88.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.64

$0.58 RSD 60.8

20.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.05

$0.61 RSD 63.9

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$4.17 RSD 435

-0.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿598

$5.31 RSD 553

234.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$0.82 RSD 85.8

98.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.4

$2.28 RSD 238

25.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$1.18 RSD 123

-27.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,786

$34.36 RSD 3,580

54.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.96

$1.87 RSD 195

-34.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.88

$1.22 RSD 127

-54.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.7

$10.85 RSD 1,131

-78.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.3

$1.77 RSD 184

-15.25%

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

$20.9K ฿700.8K

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

-32.30%

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

$26.7K ฿898.3K

$25.1K RSD 2.6M

6.52%

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

$61.3 ฿2,058

$168 RSD 17.5K

-63.53%

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

$12.50 ฿420

$15.33 RSD 1,597

-18.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿684

$37.29 RSD 3,886

-45.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,275

$33.13 RSD 3,452

14.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$9.53 RSD 993

-60.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$4.74 RSD 494

39.24%

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

$774 ฿26.0K

$238 RSD 24.8K

225.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿485.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,841

$42.70 RSD 4,450

28.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿849

$22.51 RSD 2,346

12.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,043

$91.4 RSD 9,519

-0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,461

$72.3 RSD 7,528

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$417 RSD 43.5K

9.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,871

$297 RSD 31.0K

-1.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

$602 RSD 62.7K

52.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$547 RSD 57.0K

0.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.4K

$2,449 RSD 255.1K

-21.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.5K

$1,601 RSD 166.8K

-9.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

$894 RSD 93.2K

-33.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.79

16.28%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Subotica: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $417 in Subotica. 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 51% higher in Subotica, 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 $34.00 in Subotica. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Chiang Mai vs $221 in Subotica – so Subotica 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 Subotica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Subotica costs about 22% 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 $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,662 in Subotica. 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 $774 per month in Chiang Mai and $238 in Subotica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Subotica – 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 $906, than in Subotica at $1,108. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Subotica it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $906 versus $1,108 in Subotica. 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, Subotica makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.