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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $872 in Trebinje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,384 in Trebinje, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,897 in Trebinje, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Trebinje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Trebinje are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Trebinje 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$9.53 BAM 16.02

-78.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$32.36 BAM 54.4

-39.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$11.15 BAM 18.75

-49.33%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.24 BAM 2.09

45.97%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.96 BAM 3.29

-63.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$1.37 BAM 2.30

-76.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$2.38 BAM 4.00

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.31 BAM 3.89

57.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.17 BAM 1.97

67.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.10 BAM 1.86

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.64 BAM 2.76

-18.29%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.51 BAM 4.22

-9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$10.00 BAM 16.81

62.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$6.90 BAM 11.61

-57.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$11.82 BAM 19.86

-15.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.33 BAM 2.23

93.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.67 BAM 2.80

-36.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.31 BAM 2.19

22.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.81 BAM 3.05

-16.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.00 BAM 1.69

27.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.30 BAM 2.18

-17.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.92 BAM 1.55

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.59 BAM 0.99

-13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.75 BAM 6.31

11.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$6.09 BAM 10.24

193.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$0.66 BAM 1.11

156.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$1.35 BAM 2.27

110.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$1.17 BAM 1.97

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.58 BAM 0.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$18.10 BAM 30.43

-86.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.61 BAM 2.70

-12.42%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$31.8K BAM 53.4K

-32.54%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$22.3K BAM 37.5K

22.52%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$89.0 BAM 150

-28.47%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$16.98 BAM 28.54

-24.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$27.25 BAM 45.81

-25.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$33.54 BAM 56.4

15.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$14.66 BAM 24.65

-72.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$3.06 BAM 5.14

120.26%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$161 BAM 270

383.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$3,765 BAM 6,329

288.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$88.0 BAM 148

-38.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$37.32 BAM 62.7

-31.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$97.5 BAM 164

-3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$102 BAM 171

-28.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$302 BAM 507

62.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$201 BAM 338

43.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$538 BAM 905

65.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$369 BAM 620

40.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$2,527 BAM 4,248

-22.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$1,852 BAM 3,114

-20.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$883 BAM 1,484

-31.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.44

25.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Trebinje: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $302 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 47% higher in Trebinje, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Trebinje. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $205 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

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Trebinje, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,308 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $32.00 in Trebinje. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Trebinje, where all-in costs run around $872, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Trebinje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Trebinje costs $872 versus $947 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.