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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,029 in Valjevo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,503 in Valjevo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,976 in Valjevo, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Valjevo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Valjevo 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$7.62 RSD 774

-74.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$26.66 RSD 2,707

-31.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$9.85 RSD 1,000

-20.10%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.92 RSD 195

1.56%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.72 RSD 174

-50.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$1.23 RSD 125

-73.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.53 RSD 257

-15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.98 RSD 303

23.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.29 RSD 131

28.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$0.57 RSD 57.8

173.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.80 RSD 182

-33.89%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.48 RSD 252

-19.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$4.88 RSD 495

232.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$6.77 RSD 687

-53.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$11.64 RSD 1,182

-6.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$1.17 RSD 119

126.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.80 RSD 182

-32.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.47 RSD 149

12.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.80 RSD 182

-13.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$0.98 RSD 99.4

35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$0.62 RSD 62.8

95.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.59 RSD 60.2

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.61 RSD 62.1

-6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$4.27 RSD 434

9.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$6.33 RSD 643

168.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$0.75 RSD 75.8

142.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$2.06 RSD 209

54.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$1.00 RSD 101

-9.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$27.70 RSD 2,813

-32.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$0.71 RSD 71.6

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$0.42 RSD 42.57

219.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$5.86 RSD 595

38.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.73 RSD 176

-26.01%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

-29.37%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$26.6K RSD 2.7M

-15.74%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$142 RSD 14.4K

-50.22%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$17.25 RSD 1,752

-18.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$22.59 RSD 2,294

-21.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$30.44 RSD 3,092

35.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$16.76 RSD 1,702

-59.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$4.86 RSD 494

22.63%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$240 RSD 24.3K

26.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$5,041 RSD 511.9K

196.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$88.7 RSD 9,012

-38.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$46.60 RSD 4,732

-43.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$95.6 RSD 9,708

-10.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$101 RSD 10.3K

-31.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$381 RSD 38.7K

12.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$297 RSD 30.2K

-19.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$560 RSD 56.8K

44.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$418 RSD 42.5K

21.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$1,961 RSD 199.2K

3.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$1,411 RSD 143.3K

6.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$718 RSD 73.0K

-13.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

-32.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Valjevo: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $381 in Valjevo. 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 15% higher in Valjevo, 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 $27.00 in Valjevo. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in Valjevo – so Valjevo 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 Valjevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valjevo costs about 21% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,543 in Valjevo. 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $240 in Valjevo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% cheaper in Valjevo – 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $1,029 in Valjevo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,029 in Valjevo. 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, Valjevo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.