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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Subotica vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,526 per month in Subotica vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,034 per month in Subotica vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Subotica costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Subotica and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Subotica 24% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.63 RSD 969

$1.94 ฿63.5

396.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.49 RSD 2,966

$18.64 ฿609

58.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 RSD 864

$7.82 ฿255

9.85%

Cappuccino

$2.03 RSD 204

$1.95 ฿63.8

4.10%

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

$1.61 RSD 162

$0.85 ฿27.77

89.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 RSD 104

$0.35 ฿11.58

197.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 RSD 199

$2.13 ฿69.6

-7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 RSD 216

$3.73 ฿122

-42.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 RSD 147

$1.71 ฿56.0

-14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 RSD 93.9

$1.63 ฿53.2

-42.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 RSD 295

$1.14 ฿37.15

157.02%

Eggs

$2.67 RSD 269

$1.93 ฿63.1

38.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.70 RSD 1,077

$16.21 ฿530

-33.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.24 RSD 728

$3.12 ฿102

132.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 RSD 1,065

$10.90 ฿356

-2.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 RSD 139

$2.75 ฿90.0

-49.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 RSD 181

$1.21 ฿39.52

48.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 RSD 144

$1.62 ฿53.0

-11.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 RSD 216

$1.59 ฿51.8

35.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 RSD 109

$1.40 ฿45.70

-22.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 RSD 78.1

$1.17 ฿38.17

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 RSD 61.1

$0.66 ฿21.60

-7.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RSD 71.2

$0.53 ฿17.22

33.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 RSD 445

$4.69 ฿153

-5.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.53 RSD 556

$18.66 ฿609

-70.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 RSD 84.6

$1.80 ฿58.8

-53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RSD 161

$3.23 ฿106

-50.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 RSD 121

$0.90 ฿29.26

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 RSD 179

$1.41 ฿45.91

26.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RSD 91.1

$1.29 ฿42.12

-29.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 RSD 1,004

$7.84 ฿256

27.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 RSD 177

$1.27 ฿41.58

38.58%

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

$30.1K RSD 3.0M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

41.64%

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

$26.5K RSD 2.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

19.24%

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

$119 RSD 12.0K

$69.1 ฿2,256

72.77%

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

$13.12 RSD 1,319

$14.08 ฿460

-6.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.67 RSD 3,286

$18.00 ฿588

81.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.71 RSD 3,189

$41.06 ฿1,341

-22.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.66 RSD 972

$6.96 ฿227

38.79%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 RSD 296

$5.92 ฿193

-50.17%

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

$452 RSD 45.5K

$299 ฿9,766

51.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,348 RSD 940.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-37.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.02 RSD 3,422

$54.7 ฿1,787

-37.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.47 RSD 2,663

$26.77 ฿874

-1.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 RSD 8,959

$85.0 ฿2,776

4.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 RSD 12.1K

$70.6 ฿2,306

70.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 RSD 41.8K

$428 ฿14.0K

-3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 RSD 33.4K

$237 ฿7,752

39.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 RSD 59.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

-26.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 RSD 54.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

5.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 RSD 249.4K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

25.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,719 RSD 172.9K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

16.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$908 RSD 91.3K

$617 ฿20.2K

47.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

11.80%

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

Last update for Subotica: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $415 in Subotica 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 47% higher in Subotica, 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 $29.00 in Subotica versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Subotica vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Subotica 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

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

Subotica costs about 18% 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 $1,528 per month in Subotica 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 $29.00 in Subotica 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 15% cheaper in Subotica – 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 $1,018 in Subotica 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 $1,018 in Subotica. 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, Subotica makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.