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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,018 in Subotica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,526 in Subotica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,034 in Subotica, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$9.63 RSD 969

-79.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$29.49 RSD 2,966

-36.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.59 RSD 864

-8.96%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.03 RSD 204

-3.94%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.61 RSD 162

-47.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.04 RSD 104

-66.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.98 RSD 199

7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.15 RSD 216

73.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.46 RSD 147

17.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.93 RSD 93.9

75.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.93 RSD 295

-61.09%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.67 RSD 269

-27.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.70 RSD 1,077

51.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.24 RSD 728

-56.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.59 RSD 1,065

2.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.38 RSD 139

99.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.80 RSD 181

-32.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.43 RSD 144

13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.15 RSD 216

-26.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.08 RSD 109

29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.78 RSD 78.1

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.61 RSD 61.1

8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.71 RSD 71.2

-25.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.43 RSD 445

5.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.53 RSD 556

237.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.84 RSD 84.6

114.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.60 RSD 161

101.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.20 RSD 121

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.78 RSD 179

-20.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.91 RSD 91.1

41.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.98 RSD 1,004

-21.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.76 RSD 177

-27.84%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$30.1K RSD 3.0M

-29.40%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.5K RSD 2.7M

-16.14%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$119 RSD 12.0K

-42.12%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$13.12 RSD 1,319

7.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$32.67 RSD 3,286

-44.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$31.71 RSD 3,189

29.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$9.66 RSD 972

-27.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.95 RSD 296

100.68%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$452 RSD 45.5K

-33.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$9,348 RSD 940.1K

59.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$34.02 RSD 3,422

60.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$26.47 RSD 2,663

1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$89.1 RSD 8,959

-4.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$120 RSD 12.1K

-41.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$415 RSD 41.8K

3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$332 RSD 33.4K

-28.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$592 RSD 59.6K

35.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$541 RSD 54.4K

-4.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,480 RSD 249.4K

-20.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,719 RSD 172.9K

-14.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$908 RSD 91.3K

-31.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

-10.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Subotica: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $415 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 47% 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 $29.00 in Subotica. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $215 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 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 $1,528 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $29.00 in Subotica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Subotica – 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 $1,018 in Subotica, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,018 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.