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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $865 per month in Sabac vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,319 per month in Sabac vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,774 per month in Sabac vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sabac is about 9% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sabac and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sabac 37% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.32 RSD 841

$2.08 ฿69.2

300.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.46 RSD 2,876

$19.64 ฿651

44.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 RSD 683

$5.65 ฿188

19.65%

Cappuccino

$2.04 RSD 207

$1.81 ฿59.9

12.71%

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

$1.91 RSD 193

$0.71 ฿23.66

169.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 RSD 146

$0.32 ฿10.48

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 RSD 277

$2.24 ฿74.2

22.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 RSD 274

$3.63 ฿121

-25.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RSD 137

$1.96 ฿65.0

-31.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 RSD 65.5

$1.50 ฿49.83

-56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RSD 193

$1.34 ฿44.32

42.54%

Eggs

$2.04 RSD 206

$2.26 ฿75.1

-9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 RSD 621

$16.26 ฿539

-62.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 RSD 685

$2.95 ฿98.0

129.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 RSD 1,217

$9.94 ฿330

21.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 RSD 129

$2.57 ฿85.3

-50.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 RSD 201

$1.06 ฿35.04

86.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 RSD 147

$1.61 ฿53.5

-9.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 RSD 203

$1.52 ฿50.4

32.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 RSD 69.3

$1.27 ฿42.14

-45.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 RSD 36.41

$1.07 ฿35.37

-66.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 RSD 110

$0.72 ฿23.89

51.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 RSD 46.20

$0.51 ฿16.87

-9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 RSD 371

$4.19 ฿139

-12.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 RSD 826

$17.87 ฿593

-54.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RSD 72.1

$1.69 ฿56.2

-57.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 RSD 104

$2.84 ฿94.1

-63.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RSD 109

$0.93 ฿30.70

16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 RSD 154

$1.23 ฿40.95

23.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 RSD 97.8

$0.58 ฿19.13

67.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 RSD 543

$2.42 ฿80.4

122.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 RSD 190

$1.41 ฿46.84

33.33%

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

$32.1K RSD 3.2M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

49.49%

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

$26.6K RSD 2.7M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-2.78%

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

$144 RSD 14.5K

$63.7 ฿2,112

126.06%

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

$26.69 RSD 2,697

$12.85 ฿426

107.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.95 RSD 2,017

$20.22 ฿671

-1.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.69 RSD 3,102

$38.74 ฿1,285

-20.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 RSD 1,415

$3.97 ฿132

252.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 RSD 592

$6.74 ฿223

-13.06%

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

$181 RSD 18.3K

$778 ฿25.8K

-76.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,009 RSD 405.2K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-72.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 RSD 6,395

$54.3 ฿1,801

16.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.9 RSD 6,858

$25.45 ฿844

166.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 RSD 6,134

$94.3 ฿3,129

-35.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 RSD 12.5K

$73.4 ฿2,436

68.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 RSD 24.4K

$490 ฿16.2K

-50.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 RSD 15.9K

$289 ฿9,596

-45.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 RSD 36.2K

$894 ฿29.6K

-59.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 RSD 27.2K

$517 ฿17.1K

-47.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,970 RSD 199.1K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

0.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 RSD 157.3K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

5.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$983 RSD 99.4K

$602 ฿20.0K

63.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.84

5.57

-13.11%

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

Last update for Sabac: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Sabac versus $490 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 63% higher in Sabac, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Sabac versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Sabac vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Sabac 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Sabac, 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 $1,297 per month in Sabac and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sabac, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Sabac and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sabac, where all-in costs run around $865, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Sabac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sabac costs $865 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. 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 Sabac. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.