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 $1,301 per month in Podgorica vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,000 per month in Podgorica vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,698 per month in Podgorica vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Podgorica costs about 50% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Podgorica and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Podgorica 3% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.79 €8.42

$1.94 ฿63.5

404.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.06 €39.62

$18.64 ฿609

147.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 €7.86

$7.82 ฿255

16.88%

Cappuccino

$2.14 €1.84

$1.95 ฿63.8

9.74%

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

$2.27 €1.96

$0.85 ฿27.77

167.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.35 ฿11.58

311.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 €2.49

$2.13 ฿69.6

36.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 €3.04

$3.73 ฿122

-5.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.71 ฿56.0

-22.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 €0.89

$1.63 ฿53.2

-36.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.14 ฿37.15

101.75%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.93 ฿63.1

66.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 €7.37

$16.21 ฿530

-47.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 €7.17

$3.12 ฿102

166.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.99 €10.31

$10.90 ฿356

10.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.75 ฿90.0

-44.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.21 ฿39.52

43.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.62 ฿53.0

-1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$1.59 ฿51.8

61.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 €0.83

$1.40 ฿45.70

-30.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.17 ฿38.17

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.66 ฿21.60

180.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.65

$0.53 ฿17.22

41.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 €3.72

$4.69 ฿153

-7.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €5.03

$18.66 ฿609

-68.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.80 ฿58.8

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.55

$3.23 ฿106

-44.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 €0.91

$0.90 ฿29.26

17.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.51 €29.69

$19.21 ฿628

79.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 €0.61

$1.41 ฿45.91

-50.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 €0.61

$1.29 ฿42.12

-44.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.61 €9.99

$7.84 ฿256

48.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.27 ฿41.58

32.28%

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

$29.0K €24.9K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

36.18%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

49.15%

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

$113 €97.5

$69.1 ฿2,256

64.11%

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

$18.33 €15.76

$14.08 ฿460

30.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.40 €27.01

$18.00 ฿588

74.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.82 €38.55

$41.06 ฿1,341

9.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.73 €11.81

$6.96 ฿227

97.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 €4.97

$5.92 ฿193

-2.53%

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

$287 €247

$299 ฿9,766

-3.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,458 €6,416

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-50.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.0 €72.2

$54.7 ฿1,787

53.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.40 €39.06

$26.77 ฿874

69.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 €80.4

$85.0 ฿2,776

9.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 €97.5

$70.6 ฿2,306

60.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 €538

$428 ฿14.0K

46.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 €417

$237 ฿7,752

104.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 €981

$801 ฿26.2K

42.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$864 €743

$515 ฿16.8K

67.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,276 €2,818

$1,975 ฿64.5K

65.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,416 €2,078

$1,475 ฿48.2K

63.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,176 €1,011

$617 ฿20.2K

90.39%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Podgorica versus $428 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 90% 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 $46.00 in Podgorica versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Podgorica vs $246 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 50% 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 $1,952 per month in Podgorica and $1,300 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 $287 per month in Podgorica and $299 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 $866, than in Podgorica at $1,301. 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 $866 versus $1,301 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.