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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $931 per month in Sabac vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,397 per month in Sabac vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,863 per month in Sabac vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sabac costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sabac and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sabac 31% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 RSD 879

$1.94 ฿63.5

350.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 RSD 2,696

$18.64 ฿609

43.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 RSD 995

$7.82 ฿255

26.60%

Cappuccino

$1.46 RSD 147

$1.95 ฿63.8

-25.13%

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

$1.81 RSD 182

$0.85 ฿27.77

112.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 RSD 121

$0.35 ฿11.58

245.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 RSD 232

$2.13 ฿69.6

7.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RSD 202

$3.73 ฿122

-46.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 RSD 138

$1.71 ฿56.0

-19.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 RSD 64.7

$1.63 ฿53.2

-60.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 RSD 198

$1.14 ฿37.15

72.81%

Eggs

$2.20 RSD 222

$1.93 ฿63.1

13.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 RSD 735

$16.21 ฿530

-54.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RSD 674

$3.12 ฿102

114.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 RSD 1,083

$10.90 ฿356

-1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RSD 136

$2.75 ฿90.0

-50.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 RSD 188

$1.21 ฿39.52

54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 RSD 171

$1.62 ฿53.0

4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 RSD 226

$1.59 ฿51.8

40.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 RSD 113

$1.40 ฿45.70

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 RSD 120

$1.17 ฿38.17

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 RSD 105

$0.66 ฿21.60

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 RSD 45.06

$0.53 ฿17.22

-15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 RSD 400

$4.69 ฿153

-15.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 RSD 630

$18.66 ฿609

-66.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 RSD 70.8

$1.80 ฿58.8

-61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 RSD 211

$3.23 ฿106

-34.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 RSD 98.2

$0.90 ฿29.26

8.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 RSD 104

$1.41 ฿45.91

-26.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 RSD 45.85

$1.29 ฿42.12

-64.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.00 RSD 503

$7.84 ฿256

-36.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 RSD 183

$1.27 ฿41.58

43.31%

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

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

43.66%

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

$26.8K RSD 2.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

20.62%

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

$158 RSD 15.9K

$69.1 ฿2,256

128.36%

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

$19.47 RSD 1,958

$14.08 ฿460

38.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 RSD 2,439

$18.00 ฿588

34.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.52 RSD 2,366

$41.06 ฿1,341

-42.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 RSD 1,183

$6.96 ฿227

68.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.57 RSD 661

$5.92 ฿193

10.98%

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

$184 RSD 18.5K

$299 ฿9,766

-38.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,977 RSD 400.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-73.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 RSD 6,288

$54.7 ฿1,787

14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 RSD 5,669

$26.77 ฿874

110.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 RSD 12.0K

$85.0 ฿2,776

40.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 RSD 12.3K

$70.6 ฿2,306

73.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 RSD 23.4K

$428 ฿14.0K

-45.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 RSD 17.9K

$237 ฿7,752

-25.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 RSD 35.7K

$801 ฿26.2K

-55.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 RSD 26.8K

$515 ฿16.8K

-48.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 RSD 192.8K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-2.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,562 RSD 157.1K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

5.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 RSD 100.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

61.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Sabac: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $232 in Sabac 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 61% higher in Sabac, 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 $27.00 in Sabac versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Sabac vs $246 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

Sabac costs about 7% 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 $1,397 per month in Sabac 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Sabac and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Sabac – 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 $931 in Sabac and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $931 in Sabac. 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, Sabac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.