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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $978 in Vrsac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,419 in Vrsac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,861 in Vrsac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Vrsac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Vrsac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Vrsac 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$9.18 RSD 935

-77.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$34.71 RSD 3,537

-43.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$11.51 RSD 1,173

-50.74%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.71 RSD 175

5.85%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.91 RSD 194

-59.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.38 RSD 140

-74.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.05 RSD 209

7.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.51 RSD 256

51.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.01 RSD 103

102.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.60 RSD 61.0

151.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$2.29 RSD 234

-38.86%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.32 RSD 236

-2.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.06 RSD 923

78.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$4.04 RSD 412

-28.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$11.95 RSD 1,218

-21.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$0.85 RSD 86.2

215.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.32 RSD 135

-17.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.36 RSD 139

19.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.22 RSD 227

-34.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.81 RSD 83.0

58.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.62 RSD 63.4

70.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.56 RSD 57.3

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.63 RSD 64.2

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.38 RSD 446

-3.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$5.33 RSD 543

243.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$0.73 RSD 74.1

123.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.16 RSD 118

150.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$1.02 RSD 104

-13.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.95 RSD 199

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.31 RSD 133

-55.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$11.26 RSD 1,148

-78.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.83 RSD 186

-20.77%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$32.1K RSD 3.3M

-34.48%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$25.9K RSD 2.6M

2.18%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$159 RSD 16.2K

-60.04%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$9.12 RSD 929

41.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$35.22 RSD 3,589

-41.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$30.76 RSD 3,134

26.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$13.70 RSD 1,396

-71.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.87 RSD 496

35.11%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$243 RSD 24.7K

222.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,839 RSD 798.8K

87.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$43.82 RSD 4,466

25.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$23.52 RSD 2,396

5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$94.2 RSD 9,602

-0.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$75.3 RSD 7,676

-1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$326 RSD 33.2K

50.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$265 RSD 27.0K

8.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$450 RSD 45.9K

97.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$378 RSD 38.5K

37.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$2,167 RSD 220.8K

-8.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,585 RSD 161.5K

-8.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.79

16.28%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Vrsac: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $326 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Vrsac. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $177 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 5% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,467 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Vrsac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 36% cheaper in Vrsac – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Vrsac at $978. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vrsac it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $978 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.