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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $861 in Trebinje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,399 in Trebinje, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,938 in Trebinje, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Trebinje have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$8.31 BAM 14.22

-76.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$28.10 BAM 48.13

-34.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.97 BAM 15.37

-16.61%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.21 BAM 2.08

66.94%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.74 BAM 2.99

-51.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.19 BAM 2.04

-69.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.11 BAM 3.61

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.82 BAM 3.12

97.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.16 BAM 1.99

42.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.85 BAM 1.45

84.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.62 BAM 2.78

-26.54%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.61 BAM 4.48

-25.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.32 BAM 15.96

73.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.00 BAM 10.27

-50.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$12.05 BAM 20.64

-9.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.34 BAM 2.29

102.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.58 BAM 2.70

-25.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.16 BAM 1.98

45.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.59 BAM 2.72

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.95 BAM 1.62

45.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.30 BAM 2.23

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.80 BAM 1.36

-16.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.66 BAM 1.14

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.69 BAM 6.32

25.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.72 BAM 9.80

208.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.71 BAM 1.21

161.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.09 BAM 1.86

202.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.78 BAM 3.06

-50.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$36.00 BAM 61.7

-46.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.15 BAM 1.96

18.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.53 BAM 0.91

152.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$8.79 BAM 15.06

-6.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.52 BAM 2.60

-19.74%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$29.1K BAM 49.9K

-26.74%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$27.2K BAM 46.6K

-17.28%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$84.4 BAM 144

-16.23%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$19.17 BAM 32.83

-26.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$23.79 BAM 40.74

-26.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$34.37 BAM 58.9

22.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$10.95 BAM 18.76

-37.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$2.99 BAM 5.12

97.99%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$116 BAM 199

165.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,725 BAM 6,379

299.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$75.9 BAM 130

-26.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$36.43 BAM 62.4

-28.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$90.8 BAM 156

-8.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$119 BAM 203

-40.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$296 BAM 508

45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$178 BAM 304

34.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$538 BAM 922

52.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$391 BAM 669

31.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,569 BAM 4,400

-25.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,801 BAM 3,084

-18.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$862 BAM 1,476

-32.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

-0.40%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Trebinje: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $296 in Trebinje. 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 49% higher in Trebinje. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Trebinje. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $194 in Trebinje – so Trebinje 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 Trebinje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,291 in Trebinje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Trebinje, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Trebinje. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 86% less in Trebinje. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $861 in Trebinje, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Trebinje costs $861 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. 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 Trebinje. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.