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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,411 per month in Aden vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,394 per month in Aden vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,377 per month in Aden vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Aden costs about 66% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aden sits 5% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.31 YER 3,179

$1.96 ฿63.6

579.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 YER 8,459

$18.81 ฿611

88.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.33 YER 2,466

$7.92 ฿258

30.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 YER 1,006

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 YER 879

Cappuccino

$4.91 YER 1,171

$1.91 ฿62.2

157.07%

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

$2.07 YER 494

$0.84 ฿27.25

146.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 YER 193

$0.35 ฿11.44

131.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$4.29 YER 1,023

$1.64 ฿53.2

161.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 YER 465

$1.62 ฿52.8

20.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.44 YER 1,776

$1.18 ฿38.40

530.51%

Eggs

$5.63 YER 1,345

$2.01 ฿65.4

180.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 YER 2,757

$15.89 ฿517

-27.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 YER 3,918

$3.01 ฿98.0

445.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.28 YER 9,379

$10.77 ฿350

264.72%

Apples (1kg)

$9.09 YER 2,170

$2.61 ฿85.0

248.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 YER 616

$1.22 ฿39.65

111.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.94 YER 1,896

$1.70 ฿55.4

367.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.46 YER 826

$1.58 ฿51.2

118.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 YER 827

$1.32 ฿42.89

162.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 YER 788

$1.17 ฿38.01

182.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 YER 155

$0.67 ฿21.85

-2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 YER 334

$0.56 ฿18.21

150.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.67 YER 160

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 YER 170

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 YER 454

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 YER 1,201

$4.53 ฿147

11.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 YER 267

$0.89 ฿28.83

25.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.74 YER 9,966

$19.38 ฿630

115.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 YER 640

$1.35 ฿43.95

98.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 YER 491

$1.35 ฿43.79

52.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 YER 1,321

$8.25 ฿268

-32.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.55 YER 847

$1.27 ฿41.40

179.53%

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

$16.4K YER 3.9M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-22.42%

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

$60.9K YER 14.5M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

170.90%

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

$77.3 YER 18.5K

$70.2 ฿2,281

10.24%

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

$10.10 YER 2,412

$13.77 ฿448

-26.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 YER 13.4K

$17.60 ฿572

219.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 YER 15.1K

$41.57 ฿1,352

52.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 YER 6,363

$6.60 ฿215

303.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 YER 1,348

$5.78 ฿188

-2.42%

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

$151 YER 36.0K

$306 ฿9,953

-50.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,902 YER 454.2K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-87.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 YER 23.3K

$54.4 ฿1,768

79.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$101 YER 24.1K

$26.14 ฿850

285.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$159 YER 37.9K

$84.5 ฿2,748

87.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 YER 43.5K

$69.4 ฿2,257

162.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 YER 59.0K

$424 ฿13.8K

-41.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 YER 42.1K

$238 ฿7,743

-26.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 YER 131.2K

$825 ฿26.8K

-33.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 YER 122.5K

$515 ฿16.7K

-0.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,014 YER 242.2K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-50.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$699 YER 166.9K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-54.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$365 YER 87.1K

$635 ฿20.6K

-42.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.67

153.40%

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

Last update for Aden: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Aden versus $424 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 74% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Aden versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $495 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Aden costs about 66% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,117 per month in Aden and $1,278 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 $35.00 in Aden and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,411 in Aden and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Aden at $1,411. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,411 in Aden. 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, Aden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.