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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $977 in Vrsac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,421 in Vrsac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,865 in Vrsac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 13% cheaper than Vrsac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Vrsac are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Vrsac 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$7.80 RSD 782

-74.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$28.99 RSD 2,908

-35.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.49 RSD 852

-6.71%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.46 RSD 146

30.82%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.61 RSD 161

-47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.44 RSD 145

-75.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.63 RSD 164

35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.03 RSD 203

87.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.05 RSD 106

56.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.60 RSD 59.7

170.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.32 RSD 233

-49.14%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.38 RSD 239

-15.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.96 RSD 899

77.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.06 RSD 407

-25.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.35 RSD 1,038

4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.85 RSD 85.3

207.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.25 RSD 126

-2.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.34 RSD 135

26.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.21 RSD 221

-28.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.78 RSD 77.9

69.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.71 RSD 71.7

64.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.57 RSD 56.7

17.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.71 RSD 71.7

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.42 RSD 444

2.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.01 RSD 603

202.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.72 RSD 72.1

154.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.16 RSD 116

178.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.98 RSD 98.5

-9.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$28.07 RSD 2,817

-30.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.78 RSD 179

-24.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.46 RSD 46.21

193.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$10.14 RSD 1,017

-18.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.76 RSD 177

-27.84%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$30.4K RSD 3.0M

-30.30%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$26.3K RSD 2.6M

-14.37%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$120 RSD 12.0K

-41.36%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$8.69 RSD 871

58.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$33.94 RSD 3,405

-48.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$31.04 RSD 3,114

33.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$16.27 RSD 1,633

-59.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$2.89 RSD 290

100.00%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$235 RSD 23.6K

30.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,063 RSD 508.0K

192.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$34.48 RSD 3,459

57.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$26.83 RSD 2,692

-2.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$88.9 RSD 8,920

-4.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$118 RSD 11.9K

-41.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$380 RSD 38.2K

11.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$296 RSD 29.7K

-19.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$564 RSD 56.6K

46.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$417 RSD 41.9K

23.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,134 RSD 214.1K

-3.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,605 RSD 161.0K

-5.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Vrsac: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $380 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $174 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 15% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,466 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $235 in Vrsac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $977 in Vrsac, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $977 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.