Cost of Living Comparison Between Ada, OK and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ada, OK and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,492 in Ada, OK versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,602 in Ada, OK versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,712 in Ada, OK versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ada, OK is roughly 189% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ada, OK is 87% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 $12.01

$1.96 ฿65.9

512.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 $60.2

$18.35 ฿617

228.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.94 $11.94

$7.48 ฿252

59.63%

Cappuccino

$4.65 $4.65

$2.02 ฿67.8

130.20%

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

$1.90 $1.90

$0.85 ฿28.52

123.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.36 ฿11.97

238.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.14 ฿71.9

43.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.59 ฿121

40.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.65 ฿55.5

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.57 ฿52.7

80.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.19 ฿40.05

226.89%

Eggs

$3.51 $3.51

$1.94 ฿65.1

80.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 $9.06

$16.19 ฿545

-44.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 $9.49

$2.99 ฿101

217.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$10.94 ฿368

32.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.71 ฿91.2

80.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.17 ฿39.27

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.69 ฿56.8

92.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.60 ฿54.0

154.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.38 ฿46.56

-21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.20 ฿40.47

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.67 ฿22.51

47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.56 ฿18.74

250.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.21 $8.21

$4.64 ฿156

76.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 $15.63

$17.62 ฿593

-11.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.86 ฿62.6

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.30 ฿111

34.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.13 $5.13

$0.88 ฿29.70

482.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.36 ฿45.92

125.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.34 ฿45.00

28.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.42 $24.42

$8.21 ฿276

197.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.22 ฿41.20

-39.34%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

12.98%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

19.01%

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

$234 $234

$70.7 ฿2,378

231.16%

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

$49.14 $49.14

$14.04 ฿472

250.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.5 $79.5

$17.49 ฿589

354.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.56 $34.56

$42.15 ฿1,418

-18.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 $11.61

$5.92 ฿199

96.11%

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

$1,817 $1,817

$309 ฿10.4K

488.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

58.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.74 $29.74

$55.8 ฿1,876

-46.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.48 $45.48

$26.11 ฿879

74.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 $71.2

$83.0 ฿2,793

-14.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$70.5 ฿2,371

47.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 $800

$432 ฿14.5K

85.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 $1,377

$239 ฿8,040

476.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,876 $1,876

$822 ฿27.7K

128.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,359 $2,359

$512 ฿17.2K

360.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,522 $1,522

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-20.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 $1,533

$1,467 ฿49.4K

4.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,610 $1,610

$579 ฿19.5K

177.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

30.00%

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

Last update for Ada, OK: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $800 in Ada, OK and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ada, OK pays 178% 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: $60.0 in Ada, OK vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

Ada, OK vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ada, OK and Chiang Mai differ by about 189% in total monthly costs ($2,492 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 178% higher in Ada, OK, 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: $800 in Ada, OK versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Ada, OK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,492 per month in Ada, OK versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 189% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $2,492 in Ada, OK, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Ada, OK. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ada, OK 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 189% less than in Ada, OK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.