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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,742 in Aguada versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,252 in Aguada versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,762 in Aguada versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Aguada is roughly 102% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aguada is 30% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.82 $16.82

$1.96 ฿65.7

758.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$18.35 ฿616

332.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 $9.64

$7.48 ฿251

28.88%

Cappuccino

$3.37 $3.37

$2.02 ฿67.7

66.83%

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

$1.70 $1.70

$0.85 ฿28.45

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.36 ฿11.94

283.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.14 ฿71.7

39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.59 ฿121

12.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.65 ฿55.4

42.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.57 ฿52.6

119.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.19 ฿39.95

88.24%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$1.94 ฿65.0

122.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

$16.19 ฿544

-45.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.73 $8.73

$2.99 ฿100

191.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$10.94 ฿367

16.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.71 ฿91.0

116.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.17 ฿39.18

123.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.69 ฿56.6

137.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.60 ฿53.9

156.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.38 ฿46.45

183.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.20 ฿40.38

142.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$0.67 ฿22.46

352.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.56 ฿18.70

257.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.17 $11.17

$4.64 ฿156

140.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.86 ฿62.4

37.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.30 ฿111

-0.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.34 ฿44.90

10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.79 $14.79

$8.21 ฿276

80.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.22 ฿41.11

-23.77%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

67.53%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

17.21%

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

$320 $320

$70.7 ฿2,372

352.48%

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

$77.7 $77.7

$14.04 ฿471

453.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$17.49 ฿587

313.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 $55.2

$42.15 ฿1,415

31.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 $11.63

$5.92 ฿199

96.45%

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

$473 $473

$309 ฿10.4K

53.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-29.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.64 $46.64

$55.8 ฿1,872

-16.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$26.11 ฿877

112.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 $89.5

$83.0 ฿2,787

7.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$70.5 ฿2,365

49.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 $499

$432 ฿14.5K

15.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 $447

$239 ฿8,020

87.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 $1,787

$822 ฿27.6K

117.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,209 $2,209

$579 ฿19.4K

281.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

14.20%

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

Last update for Aguada: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $499 in Aguada and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguada pays 281% 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: $79.0 in Aguada vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 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

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

Aguada and Chiang Mai differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($1,742 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 281% higher in Aguada, 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: $499 in Aguada versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Aguada. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,742 per month in Aguada versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,742 in Aguada, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Aguada. 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, Aguada 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 102% less than in Aguada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.