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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,077 in Zajecar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,550 in Zajecar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,022 in Zajecar, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Zajecar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Zajecar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Zajecar 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.85 RSD 687

-71.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$28.50 RSD 2,860

-34.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$10.65 RSD 1,068

-25.63%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.25 RSD 126

52.80%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.55 RSD 155

-45.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.22 RSD 122

-71.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.01 RSD 202

9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.52 RSD 253

50.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.56 RSD 157

5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.03 RSD 104

57.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.70 RSD 271

-56.30%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.66 RSD 267

-24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$6.76 RSD 678

135.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$7.15 RSD 718

-57.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.65 RSD 1,069

1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.96 RSD 96.0

171.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.75 RSD 176

-30.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.64 RSD 164

3.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.31 RSD 231

-31.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.94 RSD 94.0

40.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.88 RSD 88.7

32.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.80 RSD 80.5

-16.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.61 RSD 61.3

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.22 RSD 323

40.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.77 RSD 779

134.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.76 RSD 76.5

140.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.01 RSD 102

219.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.91 RSD 91.2

-2.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$28.29 RSD 2,838

-31.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.52 RSD 153

-11.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.65 RSD 65.1

107.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$9.55 RSD 958

-13.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.79 RSD 180

-29.05%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$30.2K RSD 3.0M

-29.86%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$26.9K RSD 2.7M

-16.31%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$201 RSD 20.1K

-65.05%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$14.97 RSD 1,502

-8.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$16.75 RSD 1,680

5.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$30.20 RSD 3,030

37.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$16.28 RSD 1,633

-59.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.80 RSD 482

20.42%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$80.4 RSD 8,067

280.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,378 RSD 740.3K

100.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$109 RSD 10.9K

-50.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$32.48 RSD 3,259

-19.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$78.7 RSD 7,893

7.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$89.9 RSD 9,017

-22.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$377 RSD 37.8K

12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$295 RSD 29.6K

-19.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$554 RSD 55.6K

48.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$422 RSD 42.3K

22.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,132 RSD 213.9K

-3.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,469 RSD 147.4K

3.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$945 RSD 94.8K

-32.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.31

-31.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Zajecar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $377 in Zajecar. 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 49% higher in Zajecar, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Zajecar. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $205 in Zajecar – so Zajecar 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 Zajecar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zajecar costs about 26% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,616 in Zajecar. 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 $80.4 in Zajecar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Zajecar – 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 $1,077 in Zajecar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,077 in Zajecar. 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, Zajecar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.