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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $962 in Abaza versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,471 in Abaza versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Abaza versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Abaza is roughly 13% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abaza 28% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.41 ₽707

$1.96 ฿63.6

380.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.29 ₽2,876

$18.81 ฿611

103.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ₽427

$7.92 ฿258

-28.16%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₽177

$1.91 ฿62.2

23.04%

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

$1.08 ₽80.8

$0.84 ฿27.25

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₽39.26

$0.35 ฿11.44

48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₽103

$2.21 ฿71.7

-37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ₽196

$3.80 ฿124

-31.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 ₽41.44

$1.64 ฿53.2

-66.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₽50.0

$1.62 ฿52.8

-58.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ₽107

$1.18 ฿38.40

20.34%

Eggs

$1.77 ₽133

$2.01 ฿65.4

-11.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ₽824

$15.89 ฿517

-30.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 ₽371

$3.01 ฿98.0

64.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 ₽649

$10.77 ฿350

-19.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ₽134

$2.61 ฿85.0

-31.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 ₽142

$1.22 ฿39.65

54.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ₽150

$1.70 ฿55.4

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 ₽204

$1.58 ฿51.2

71.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ₽59.4

$1.32 ฿42.89

-40.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ₽53.7

$1.17 ฿38.01

-39.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ₽101

$0.67 ฿21.85

101.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽50.6

$0.56 ฿18.21

19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₽217

$4.53 ฿147

-36.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.58 ₽644

$18.20 ฿592

-52.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₽70.4

$1.83 ฿59.6

-48.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₽144

$3.23 ฿105

-40.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ₽37.47

$0.89 ฿28.83

-43.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₽145

$1.35 ฿43.95

43.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₽24.37

$1.35 ฿43.79

-76.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 ₽481

$8.25 ฿268

-22.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 ₽55.0

$1.27 ฿41.40

-42.52%

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

$33.6K ₽2.5M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

58.87%

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

$35.8K ₽2.7M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

59.27%

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

$110 ₽8,249

$70.2 ฿2,281

56.51%

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

$5.89 ₽442

$13.77 ฿448

-57.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.77 ₽584

$17.60 ฿572

-55.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.02 ₽2,706

$41.57 ฿1,352

-13.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 ₽392

$5.78 ฿188

-9.86%

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

$318 ₽23.9K

$306 ฿9,953

4.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,054 ₽529.9K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-52.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 ₽5,230

$54.4 ฿1,768

28.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 ₽3,397

$26.14 ฿850

72.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₽8,452

$84.5 ฿2,748

33.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₽8,039

$69.4 ฿2,257

54.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 ₽33.2K

$424 ฿13.8K

4.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ₽22.5K

$238 ฿7,743

25.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₽57.1K

$825 ฿26.8K

-7.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ₽37.6K

$515 ฿16.7K

-2.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,162 ₽162.4K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

5.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ₽110.8K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-3.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,297 ₽97.5K

$635 ฿20.6K

104.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

206.60%

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

Last update for Abaza: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Abaza and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abaza pays 104% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Abaza vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $243, with Abaza cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Abaza pays 104% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $441 in Abaza versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $318 in Abaza versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $38.00 in Abaza. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Abaza, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Abaza and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Abaza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.