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 $961 in Vrsac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,405 in Vrsac, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,849 in Vrsac, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% 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 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$7.99 RSD 813

-74.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$29.53 RSD 3,003

-36.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.60 RSD 874

-8.60%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.46 RSD 149

39.04%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.61 RSD 164

-50.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.51 RSD 154

-76.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.64 RSD 167

30.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.98 RSD 202

85.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.01 RSD 103

71.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.60 RSD 60.7

161.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.33 RSD 237

-48.50%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.30 RSD 234

-14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.64 RSD 879

87.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.26 RSD 433

-28.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$10.35 RSD 1,053

4.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.93 RSD 95.0

197.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.31 RSD 133

-10.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.40 RSD 142

22.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.23 RSD 227

-28.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.75 RSD 76.7

85.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.67 RSD 67.8

73.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.62 RSD 62.6

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.70 RSD 71.5

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.25 RSD 433

9.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$5.95 RSD 605

198.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.73 RSD 73.9

145.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.16 RSD 118

187.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.97 RSD 98.7

-6.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$27.58 RSD 2,805

-32.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.81 RSD 184

-22.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.43 RSD 43.45

211.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$10.10 RSD 1,027

-19.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.83 RSD 186

-32.79%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

-30.55%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$26.2K RSD 2.7M

-16.59%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$119 RSD 12.1K

-40.25%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.87 RSD 902

57.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$34.85 RSD 3,545

-48.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$30.69 RSD 3,121

33.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$16.84 RSD 1,712

-59.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.91 RSD 296

96.56%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$235 RSD 23.9K

31.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,995 RSD 508.0K

193.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$34.03 RSD 3,461

63.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$26.75 RSD 2,721

-2.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$89.2 RSD 9,073

-4.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$119 RSD 12.1K

-40.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$367 RSD 37.3K

15.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$294 RSD 29.9K

-17.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$558 RSD 56.8K

42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$408 RSD 41.5K

24.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,188 RSD 222.5K

-12.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,477 RSD 150.2K

-0.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Vrsac: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $367 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 $30.00 in Vrsac. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $175 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 13% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,441 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 $308 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 $961 in Vrsac, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $961 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.