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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,309 per month in Podgorica vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,997 per month in Podgorica vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,685 per month in Podgorica vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Podgorica costs about 52% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Podgorica and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Podgorica 2% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.72 €8.49

$1.96 ฿65.7

395.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.18 €41.22

$18.35 ฿616

157.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 €8.30

$7.48 ฿251

27.01%

Cappuccino

$2.14 €1.87

$2.02 ฿67.7

5.94%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$0.85 ฿28.45

168.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.26

$0.36 ฿11.94

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 €2.51

$2.14 ฿71.7

34.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €2.95

$3.59 ฿121

-5.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.65 ฿55.4

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 €0.86

$1.57 ฿52.6

-36.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 €2.00

$1.19 ฿39.95

92.44%

Eggs

$3.19 €2.79

$1.94 ฿65.0

64.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 €7.52

$16.19 ฿544

-46.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.91

$2.99 ฿100

164.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.88 €10.38

$10.94 ฿367

8.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 €1.32

$2.71 ฿91.0

-44.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.17 ฿39.18

49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 €1.40

$1.69 ฿56.6

-4.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.23

$1.60 ฿53.9

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 €0.91

$1.38 ฿46.45

-24.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 €0.97

$1.20 ฿40.38

-7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 €1.62

$0.67 ฿22.46

176.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.56 ฿18.70

44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 €3.66

$4.64 ฿156

-9.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €5.05

$17.62 ฿591

-67.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.92

$1.86 ฿62.4

-43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.56

$3.30 ฿111

-45.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 €0.89

$0.88 ฿29.63

15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 €29.94

$19.34 ฿649

77.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 €0.58

$1.36 ฿45.82

-51.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 €0.66

$1.34 ฿44.90

-44.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.73 €10.24

$8.21 ฿276

42.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.22 ฿41.11

44.26%

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

$29.5K €25.7K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

37.94%

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

$32.3K €28.2K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

43.20%

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

$115 €100

$70.7 ฿2,372

62.63%

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

$18.25 €15.95

$14.04 ฿471

29.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.94 €27.90

$17.49 ฿587

82.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.89 €38.35

$42.15 ฿1,415

4.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.47 €11.77

$6.88 ฿231

95.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 €5.11

$5.92 ฿199

-1.35%

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

$284 €248

$309 ฿10.4K

-7.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,580 €6,622

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-49.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.2 €74.4

$55.8 ฿1,872

52.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.19 €39.48

$26.11 ฿877

73.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 €82.3

$83.0 ฿2,787

13.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 €97.0

$70.5 ฿2,365

57.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$627 €548

$432 ฿14.5K

45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 €433

$239 ฿8,020

107.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 €1,011

$822 ฿27.6K

40.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$834 €729

$512 ฿17.2K

62.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,080 €2,691

$1,915 ฿64.3K

60.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 €2,068

$1,467 ฿49.3K

61.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,145 €1,000

$579 ฿19.4K

97.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.73

14.60%

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

Last update for Podgorica: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $627 in Podgorica versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 98% higher in Podgorica, 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 $47.00 in Podgorica versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Podgorica vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Podgorica 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

Podgorica vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Podgorica costs about 52% 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 $1,963 per month in Podgorica and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. 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 $284 per month in Podgorica and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Podgorica – 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 $861, than in Podgorica at $1,309. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Podgorica it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,309 in Podgorica. 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, Podgorica makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.