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: $1,547 in Agana Heights versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,332 in Agana Heights versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,118 in Agana Heights versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Agana Heights is roughly 79% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Agana Heights is 15% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.29 $16.29

$1.94 ฿63.5

739.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.93 $49.93

$18.64 ฿609

167.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 $10.98

$7.82 ฿255

40.41%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$1.95 ฿63.8

149.23%

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

$1.23 $1.23

$0.85 ฿27.77

44.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.35 ฿11.58

248.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.13 ฿69.6

83.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.73 ฿122

82.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.71 ฿56.0

-1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$6.46 $6.46

$1.63 ฿53.2

296.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$1.14 ฿37.15

514.04%

Eggs

$6.92 $6.92

$1.93 ฿63.1

258.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.51 $18.51

$16.21 ฿530

14.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$3.12 ฿102

115.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 $17.93

$10.90 ฿356

64.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.75 ฿90.0

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.21 ฿39.52

0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$1.59 ฿51.8

305.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.40 ฿45.70

92.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.17 ฿38.17

135.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.11 $4.11

$0.66 ฿21.60

522.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.53 ฿17.22

281.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 $10.08

$4.69 ฿153

114.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 $12.10

$18.66 ฿609

-35.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.80 ฿58.8

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$3.23 ฿106

-52.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$0.90 ฿29.26

227.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

$19.21 ฿628

207.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 $9.98

$1.41 ฿45.91

607.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

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

$40.0K $40.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

87.84%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

55.37%

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

$347 $347

$69.1 ฿2,256

401.97%

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

$74.1 $74.1

$14.08 ฿460

426.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$96.7 $96.7

$18.00 ฿588

436.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.6 $99.6

$41.06 ฿1,341

142.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.38 $44.38

$6.96 ฿227

537.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 $9.80

$5.92 ฿193

65.54%

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

$299 ฿9,766

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$54.7 ฿1,787

2.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 $55.3

$26.77 ฿874

106.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$85.0 ฿2,776

18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$70.6 ฿2,306

108.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Agana Heights: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $50.0 in Agana Heights vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $246 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 79% 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 $2,320 in Agana Heights and $1,300 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Agana Heights. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,547 per month in Agana Heights versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,547 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 $866 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 79% less than in Agana Heights. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.