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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $962 in Vrsac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,413 in Vrsac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,864 in Vrsac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Vrsac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Vrsac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Vrsac 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$8.00 RSD 809

-75.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$28.81 RSD 2,913

-34.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.78 RSD 888

-11.73%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.51 RSD 153

27.15%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.60 RSD 162

-50.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.46 RSD 148

-75.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.72 RSD 174

28.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.91 RSD 193

91.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.07 RSD 108

54.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.63 RSD 64.1

158.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.29 RSD 231

-48.03%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.41 RSD 244

-17.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.04 RSD 914

76.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.21 RSD 426

-28.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.61 RSD 1,073

2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.88 RSD 88.5

213.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.25 RSD 126

-5.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.42 RSD 143

15.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.20 RSD 222

-30.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.81 RSD 81.5

70.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.71 RSD 71.4

67.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.62 RSD 62.6

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.68 RSD 68.7

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.37 RSD 442

4.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.75 RSD 581

188.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.75 RSD 76.0

144.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.15 RSD 116

178.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.96 RSD 97.2

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$28.36 RSD 2,868

-33.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.87 RSD 189

-27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.46 RSD 46.19

191.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.83 RSD 994

-20.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.75 RSD 177

-29.71%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$30.4K RSD 3.1M

-28.83%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$26.2K RSD 2.6M

-13.83%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$119 RSD 12.0K

-40.49%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.06 RSD 917

50.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$34.93 RSD 3,532

-50.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$30.79 RSD 3,113

34.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.56 RSD 1,675

-57.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.00 RSD 304

92.33%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$233 RSD 23.5K

32.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,106 RSD 516.4K

186.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$34.59 RSD 3,498

61.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$25.94 RSD 2,624

1.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$89.4 RSD 9,037

-4.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$120 RSD 12.1K

-39.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$374 RSD 37.9K

14.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$301 RSD 30.4K

-20.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$575 RSD 58.2K

42.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$421 RSD 42.6K

21.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,854 RSD 187.5K

6.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,650 RSD 166.9K

-10.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vrsac: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $374 in Vrsac. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Vrsac. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $176 in Vrsac – so Vrsac 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 Vrsac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vrsac costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,442 in Vrsac. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $233 in Vrsac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 37% cheaper in Vrsac – 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $962 in Vrsac, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $962 in Vrsac. 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, Vrsac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.