Cost of Living Comparison Between Agana Heights and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Agana Heights and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,011 in Agana Heights versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Agana Heights versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,689 in Agana Heights versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Agana Heights is roughly 7% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Agana Heights 26% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.4

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿654

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

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

$0.71 ฿23.75

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.96 ฿65.2

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$1.50 ฿50.0

216.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.34 ฿44.49

31.34%

Eggs

$3.94 $3.94

$2.26 ฿75.4

74.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.55 $26.55

$16.26 ฿541

63.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$2.95 ฿98.4

128.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.69 $17.69

$9.94 ฿331

77.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.57 ฿85.7

52.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.06 ฿35.18

13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.61 ฿53.7

16.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$1.52 ฿50.6

343.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.27 ฿42.30

113.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.07 ฿35.51

172.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.07 $4.07

$0.72 ฿23.98

465.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.51 ฿16.94

280.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 $10.12

$4.19 ฿140

141.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.96 $11.96

$17.87 ฿595

-33.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.69 ฿56.4

8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.84 ฿94.5

-47.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.93 ฿30.82

226.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$53.9 ฿1,794

12.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$1.23 ฿41.11

713.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿47.03

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

$39.7K $39.7K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

85.12%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

28.16%

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

$340 $340

$63.7 ฿2,120

433.64%

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

$75.5 $75.5

$12.85 ฿428

487.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.8 $97.8

$20.22 ฿673

383.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,290

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿224

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

$778 ฿25.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿486.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,808

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿847

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,141

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,446

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,634

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Agana Heights: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

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

Agana Heights vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Agana Heights. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,516 in Agana Heights and $1,421 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $1,011 per month in Agana Heights versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Agana Heights. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,011 in Agana Heights, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Agana Heights. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $947 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Agana Heights 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 7% less than in Agana Heights. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.