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: $1,000 in Abaza versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,554 in Abaza versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,108 in Abaza versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Abaza is roughly 5% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abaza 27% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₽1,033

$2.10 ฿69.3

485.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.36 ₽2,636

$19.84 ฿656

58.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 ₽490

$5.79 ฿191

0.69%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ₽207

$1.83 ฿60.4

34.97%

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

$1.18 ₽99.2

$0.78 ฿25.61

51.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₽45.42

$0.31 ฿10.37

74.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 ₽135

$2.34 ฿77.2

-31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ₽233

$3.70 ฿122

-25.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 ₽95.9

$2.03 ฿67.1

-43.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 ₽58.6

$1.60 ฿52.7

-56.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ₽115

$1.42 ฿46.75

-4.23%

Eggs

$1.51 ₽127

$2.18 ฿71.9

-30.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 ₽913

$15.91 ฿526

-31.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 ₽423

$3.07 ฿102

63.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 ₽855

$9.87 ฿326

3.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 ₽146

$2.63 ฿86.8

-33.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₽150

$1.10 ฿36.19

62.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ₽143

$1.63 ฿53.8

4.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₽231

$1.53 ฿50.6

79.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₽57.7

$1.24 ฿41.13

-44.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₽49.33

$1.13 ฿37.37

-47.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ₽110

$0.74 ฿24.38

77.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽57.4

$0.50 ฿16.48

36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ₽244

$4.28 ฿141

-32.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₽649

$17.97 ฿594

-57.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₽89.2

$1.70 ฿56.1

-37.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₽191

$2.90 ฿95.7

-21.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ₽38.04

$0.94 ฿31.13

-52.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₽198

$1.23 ฿40.76

91.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₽26.88

$0.53 ฿17.66

-39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 ₽435

$2.40 ฿79.3

115.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽61.9

$1.44 ฿47.55

-48.61%

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

$34.3K ₽2.9M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

61.84%

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

$33.9K ₽2.8M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

24.03%

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

$101 ₽8,447

$64.9 ฿2,145

54.78%

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

$5.84 ₽491

$13.35 ฿441

-56.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.84 ₽659

$20.83 ฿688

-62.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.28 ₽2,966

$40.42 ฿1,336

-12.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 ₽1,901

$3.95 ฿131

472.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 ₽439

$6.71 ฿222

-22.21%

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

$332 ₽27.9K

$787 ฿26.0K

-57.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,001 ₽588.4K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-53.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 ₽5,411

$56.2 ฿1,858

14.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.89 ₽4,110

$24.95 ฿824

95.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₽10.0K

$92.7 ฿3,063

28.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 ₽7,600

$75.1 ฿2,482

20.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₽39.5K

$484 ฿16.0K

-2.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₽25.3K

$287 ฿9,491

4.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$850 ₽71.4K

$910 ฿30.1K

-6.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 ₽46.0K

$531 ฿17.5K

3.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,515 ₽211.3K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

27.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,306 ₽109.8K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-10.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,137 ₽95.6K

$605 ฿20.0K

87.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

277.02%

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

Last update for Abaza: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $470 in Abaza and $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abaza pays 88% 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: $31.00 in Abaza vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $242, 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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 88% higher in Abaza, 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: $470 in Abaza versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $332 in Abaza versus $787 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 $20.00 versus $31.00 in Abaza. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $1,000 in Abaza, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Abaza. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 5% less than in Abaza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.